Unexpected Love
by ronsgurl281
Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization.Through much difficulty they achieve this goal,but what happens when the Superior comes back mysteriously?Eventual XemnasSephiroth.
1. Memories

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Kingdom Hearts cuz if I did the Organazation would totally be a sex club!lol. I'm horrible.:D

6:00 AM

That's what time the alarm clock on the bed side table read. The numbers blinked green over and over in a never ending cycle…until it was 6:01 AM…damn. Axel blinked a couple of times to make sure that he was actually awake. The neon green numbers stood out against the dimly lit room. Axel moved to get up, but quickly decided against this after feeling the chill of the early morning. Axel got back under the blankets to feel something warm and heavy practically lay on top of him. Axel looked to his side only to find a mass of soft blond hair in his face, not that he minded of course. Axel looked down at his lover, adoring how peaceful he seemed to be when he slept.

'_He almost looks angelic.'_ Axel laughed inwardly at his thoughts. The majority of the time, Roxas was anything but angelic.

'_But you still love him for everything he is and isn't you idiot.'_ Axel smiled down at Roxas while admiring his figure. The blankets had fallen so low on Roxas' waist that they barely covered up his important parts. Axel grinned widely, remembering the night before. Axel kissed Roxas on the forehead and pulled him closer, wrapping his long legs around Roxas' waist and resting his chin on top of the blond boys' head. Axel didn't know what he would do if he was separated from Roxas again. He was blessed to have another chance to be with his lover.

_Flashback_

_Axel wandered through the darkness with no particular purpose. There wasn't any way for him to get out of the hell he was in, and he had no way to know what time or day it was. For all he knew, what felt like hours could have easily been a couple of minutes. Time always stood still in that god forsaken place. Axel ambled about aimlessly, never coming close to finding another Organization member. It wasn't until that one day that Axel even had the faintest glimmer of hope….the day he heard the voice._

'_Axel!' The voice sounded demanding, yet fragile. The voice seemed to give a nuncupative request to follow and find it._

'_God, I must be losing my mind.' Axel thought as he looked around frantically for the source of the ominous voice._

'_It almost sounds like Roxy's voice…' Axel knew this was impossible, seeing as Roxas might as well be dead._

'_But maybe…no, that's ridiculous. Why would my lovers' other half be looking for me?'_

'_Axel!!' The voice called out again. Axel tried to tell himself it was all in his head, but that voice managed to get on his nerves so badly that he started looking for it just to make it shut up. Axel remembered how eventually the voice faded away. When it disappeared he had cried out in agony. That was the only contact he had had with another person in what felt like centuries._

_Axel continued to hear the voice in what he could only guess was the next day. It began coming back every day after that, but Axel never counted to see how long it had been since he had anticipated the beginning of his insanity. On one of these days, Axel felt as if the voice was suddenly getting louder. He felt anxiety bubble within him as he started to run towards the voice at full speed._

_He stopped when he realized he was completely out of breath…and he could swear that the voice was right in his ear. Axel looked around in frenzied bewilderment when a hand suddenly reached out of the darkness and came towards him. Axel screamed and jumped back a couple of feet._

"_What the fuck?!"_

'_Axel, come with me.'_

"_Who the hell are you and where are you planning on taking me?!" Axel screamed at the mysterious hand while getting the strong urge to burn it to ashes._

'_You'll just have to trust me.' The voice interrupted Axel's typical pyromaniac thoughts._

"_Why should I?!"_

'_Axel, please. Just trust me.' The hand gestured for him to follow._

_Axel hesitated a moment before grabbing the hand. He remembered how he had been yanked roughly, followed by a bright light. Then he saw someone that he never expected to see again…Sora…_

_Axel was lying on a bed, staring right into those dark blue eyes that reminded him so much of Roxas._

"_Sora?" Axel asked simply as he sat up and blinked a couple of times._

"_Yeah…" Sora said smiling at him. God, it hurt to look at him. That gentle smile reminded him so much of Roxas that he had to look away for fear of crying._

"_Where are we?" Axel asked as he looked around the room for the first time. The walls were white and contained a bed big enough for two people, a closet, a dresser, a bedside table, and a TV. There were no personal belongings in the room, indicating that no one occupied the plain space._

"_Oh. Well you're currently in one of the guest bedrooms of the house that me, Riku, Leon, Cloud, Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid live in together! Oh and so does Roxas! But he hasn't talked much lately and- _

"_Wait! You mean you and Roxas are in separate bodies now!? Where is he!? I need to see him!!" Axel interrupted Sora's excited jabbering frantically. _

"_Whoa. Calm down. I'll explain everything if you give me a chance." Sora said as he threw his hands up in a defensive manner. Axel sat and thought for a moment. His first impulse was to start yelling at Sora and threaten to burn the entire house down if he didn't tell him where Roxas was. He quickly decided against this considering that Sora had brought him back from the realm of darkness and given his lover his own body. Axel decided that he was in an agreeable mood and turned to give Sora his full attention. Sora gave a sigh of relief as he continued with his earlier statement._

"_Well right after we defeated Xemnas, I started to feel really bad about taking Roxas' free will. So I convinced Riku to come with me to Radiant Garden to talk to Merlin. I figured that there must have been some kind of spell or something that would separate us. When we got there he told us that he had heard about a stone that could do what we needed to do. He didn't have the book that said how to make the stone, so we had to look through the library in the castle. It took us a month just to find it, even with everyone helping us!! We spent another month making the stone and separated Roxas from my body successfully. For about a week he seemed content with just having his own body before he got all depressed and started missing you. After that we decided to try and find a book that could help us get into the dark realm. Riku can't move in the realm of darkness anymore because he no longer is the person he was when he was capable of doing so. But after about four months we found a potion that allowed us to see into the realm of darkness without really being in it and lets us take people out of there if we want to. Because of this we can stick a portion of our bodies in the darkness to help them out."_

"_So that's why your hand came out of nowhere and scared the crap out of me?" Axel said, interrupting Sora's long explanation._

"…_yeah…sorry about that." Sora said as he scratched the back of his head and gave Axel that wide grin that was almost always present on his face. Sora's face suddenly lit up in realization. It was like he needed to tell Axel something else very important. _

"_I almost forgot to tell you the most important part. When we were reading about the potion to bring you back, we found out that when a Nobody is taken from the realm of darkness after their death they aren't…well…exactly the same as they were before…" Sora trailed off as if he didn't know how to state the point he had to make_

"_Meaning?" Axel asked looking at the questioned brunette._

_Sora suddenly flicked a pocket knife out of his pocket and pricked Axels finger. "You're human now." _

_Axel looked at his finger stupidly as it bled. Red…it was so red. Thick, dark red blood trickled down his hand as his eyes glittered in fascination. There was no way he could possibly be a Nobody now. A Nobody's blood was black; just like the World That Never Was; just like the ever present darkness that consumed them. Axel stood up, shaking faintly._

"_Where's Roxas?"_

"_Down at the Postern. He likes to go down there to think or practice on his skateboard sometimes." Sora smiled, understanding Axels' need to see Roxas. They had been separated for far too long. Axel walked over to the door, but paused as his hand lingered on the door knob. _

"_Sora?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Thank you…"_

_Sora's mouth shaped into a silent oh as he blinked in surprise. He obviously hadn't been expecting Axel to thank him so openly._

"_But don't go thinking I'm going to say it again. I don't say thank you to just anyone. Got it memorized?" Axel had turned around and pointed his finger to his head as he said his annoying catch phrase. Sora's eyes softened as he smiled and nodded in conjecture. Axel, eager and glassy eyed, gave a quick nod in return and ran out the door to go find Roxas._

_End Flashback_

Axel absentmindedly ran his fingers through Roxas' hair. After he had found Roxas sitting by himself at the Postern with skateboard in hand they had shared what Axel still considered the best night of his life. Shortly after being reunited with Roxas, they had both asked Sora and the others if they would help them search for their friends from the Organization. Thankfully, everyone gladly agreed to help. The only two they had managed to track down so far were Saix and Marluxia. The two were a couple and had somehow managed to find each other after they died. As luck would have it, they were relatively easy to track down and were found within two weeks. Now they were looking for their best friend Demyx, who was proving to be very hard to find. They had been searching for a month and still couldn't find any signs of him. Axel was completely lost in thought when he heard the door bust open. Axel looked up to see Sora standing in the doorway.

"Roxas! Axel! It looks like we found…AHHHHH!!" Sora screamed and blushed as he looked down at the bed and realized that Axel and Roxas were completely naked. But he mainly noticed Roxas because the blankets had managed to slip off of him in the hour or so that Axel had been awake. Axel looked at Sora's flustered face blankly, wondering what possessed the boy to burst into their room at seven in the morning.

"I don't know what the big deal is Sora. I mean, Roxas is your other half, so isn't it kind of like seeing yourself naked?" Axel said as he covered Roxas up just as Riku walked in, covering Sora's eyes.

"Can you please try not to scar my boyfriend for once?" Riku said while throwing an arm protectively over the spiky headed brunette. Sora removed Riku's large hand from his face to make sure that Roxas was covered up before he continued speaking.

"Anyway…um…we think we might have a location on Demyx. So I'd hurry and get dressed before we lose the signal." Riku and Sora ran from the room to keep track of the signal…and to get away from the naked pyromaniac and his lover. Axel glanced at Roxas, who had miraculously slept through the entire conversation with his other half.

"Roxy baby? Come on, wake up." Axel shook Roxas gently to rouse him from his sleep.

Roxas grunted and opened his eyes slowly. A couple of seconds later he sat up and rubbed his eyes, looking at Axel warily.

"What time is it?" Roxas asked as he yawned sleepily.

Axel climbed out of bed and started getting dressed, his back turned to Roxas as he pulled a shirt over his head. "Too early. But Riku and Sora think they might have found out where Demyx is, so we need to hurry and get dressed before they lose the signal."

At hearing this, Roxas jumped out of bed and started getting dressed, hoping against all hope that today was the day they would find their one friend who had always brightened up their world, even in the darkest of times.

Authors Note:

Yeah,really long….but review or I will get demyx to snuggle glomp u to death!!MWAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!! so evil.:) but seriously, please review and if u want to flame me go ahead…just be gentle please!!


	2. The Smile is only on the Outside Part I

Yeah….I forgot to put the full summary inside the first chapter so here it is:

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku,

cleon, soriku, zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Rated: T(Possibly rated M in other chapters)

Genre: Romance/humor/angst. Possibly action and tragedy later on.

I would like to thank the people that reviewed my fic, added me to their story or author alert, or added me to their favorite authors or stories.

Warnings: Shounen-ai/Yaoi. Also slight Leon bashing in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts….or blonde moments….or orange juice. hehe. Read to find out.

After quickly getting dressed, Roxas and Axel rushed downstairs into living room where the computer now resided. Sora once explained that Aerith and the others had moved because Merlin's house was much too small. The old wizard also seemed tired of sharing his small space with a hyperactive ninja, a man in his mid-thirties who acted as if he were in his mid-seventies, a brooding lion, a blonde beauty with a tragic past, and a mother-like woman. Aerith was the one who had found a place big enough for all of them to stay in with plenty of extra room. The house had needed a lot of repairs, so it was very cheap when they bought it. Aerith had convinced the others that the place would be very nice for them all to live in if they fixed it up. Eventually they had all agreed and made the house absolutely beautiful. Shortly after, Sephiroth moved in with them because he didn't really have any other place to go. He was shortly followed by Riku and Sora when they came to ask for Merlin's help. Axel and Roxas were also offered a place to live because the house still had several rooms available.

Axel and Roxas reached the computer to find Sora sitting in the computer chair while Riku leaning over him; both were staring at the screen intently. Cid had recently moved the computer into the living room because he was afraid if it stayed in Merlin's house his magic would ruin it. This made tracking Nobodies a little easier on them. When Sora and Riku came to Hollow Bastion to figure out how to bring the Nobodies back they had told Tron about the problem. The computer program was very sympathetic and somehow found a way to track Nobodies with a radar. Axel didn't understand it for the life of him, and honestly, he didn't think anyone else knew exactly how it worked, but knew that it was a good thing they had it. If they didn't, it would be much more difficult for them to find their friends. Although the radar helped them out, it also crippled them. The tracking system couldn't pinpoint an exact location on a Nobody, but only gave you a general location. After you arrived at that location, it could take hours before you found the Nobody you were looking for. Another problem was that you couldn't keep track of one Nobody for very long on the radar, and if you lost the signal, you had to wait until the next time you got a signal to look for them.

Axel and Roxas walked over to the computer to see a small blue dot on the radar, also known as Demyx. The signal was unusually strong, meaning that they had a strong chance of finding him.

"So…where is he?" Axel asked because he was extremely confused. He would never understand the tracking system, or computers for that matter.

"It looks like we'll be able to find him near the waterfalls." Riku said while his eyes remained fixed on the screen.

Axel smiled suddenly and looked at Roxas, who was staring at the computer screen as intently as Sora and Riku. "Sounds like him doesn't it?"

"Huh?"

"Demyx I mean. That's just like him isn't it, to be found near water?" Roxas noticed the sad smile on Axel's face. He knew that Axel missed his deceased friend and was really hoping that they would be able to find him. Of course, Roxas was too, but Axel and Demyx had been friends long before Roxas had met either one of them.

Roxas gave Axel a soft smile before saying, "Yeah…it does."

Riku spoke hastily. "Come on, we need to get going. If we stay here much longer we might lose him." Riku started to walk towards the door before Sora put a hand on his shoulder.

"Shouldn't we wake everyone up? We might need their help…" Sora asked as he remembered they had needed all the help they could get the last time they went poking around the dark realm.

"No. We don't have time for that. If we wait that long the signal will probably be gone." Riku said as he rushed out of the door. Sora turned to Axel and Roxas, shrugging his shoulders before following behind the silver haired man.

Roxas gave Axel's hand a comforting squeeze. "It'll be alright Axel. We'll find him." Axel nodded without really looking at the other. He didn't want to get his hopes up. He felt that if he wished too hard for Demyx's return, he would be let down. Roxas tugged on Axel's hand, trying to get him to follow. Axel nodded in reassurance, letting Roxas lead the way.

Roxas and Axel ran to catch up to Sora and Riku. They were heading to the castle, where the waterfalls were located. They weren't even half way there yet, and were hoping that they wouldn't be too late. Axel ran slower than he normally would so that Roxas could keep up with him; the blonde's significantly shorter legs making him incapable of keeping up with the fiery red head. Axel heard a grunt of annoyance at his side.

"Axel, I know you can run faster than me!! Why don't you go faster!?" Roxas asked, panting as he ran as fast as he possibly could.

"But Roxas I-"

"Look, you want to get Demyx out of the dark realm right? Well, if you don't get there as fast as you can you might miss your chance, so go!!" Axel smiled at Roxas before taking off, leaving Roxas in the dust.

Axel kept running. No matter how tired he was, no matter how much it hurt, he just kept running. He ceaselessly ran past people; making them swear as he bumped into them in the streets. Axel threw apologies to the air left and right, not paying attention to faces or scenery. He never looked behind him, just kept heading towards the direction of the castle by instinct. The sound of crashing water soon reached Axel's ears. For once, Axel was happy about water being nearby. Being able to control fire, Axel had never favored water all that much, but right now, it was a blessing in disguise. Demyx had always been able to control water and seemed to have a love for the wet substance. The sound and feel of water had always comforted him in the same way it made Axel uneasy. Axel gradually saw the waterfalls come into view and the sound of thrashing water was right in his ears. Axel found Sora and Riku standing in the large cave that was located directly behind the waterfall and noted that they had already opened a dark portal. Sora and Riku both had a hand inside the dark portal, only able to do that much because they were not creatures of the darkness. Sora was the first of the two to acknowledge Axels' presence.

"It's about time you got here. What took you so long?" Sora asked as Axel shook one of his legs to rid it of a scarce amount of water. Sora smirked at Axels' antics. He was such a baby when it came to getting wet, unless the water was hot. Apparently hot water reminded him more of fire, so there were no worries when it came to the pyro's bathing habits.

"I ran here as fast as I could god damn it!! Don't ask why I took so long!!" Axel yelled. He was clearly pissed at the moment, considering he was out of breath and wet. Not a good combination on Axels' part.

"Okay, okay, sorry!! No need to get defensive about it!!" Sora exclaimed as he took a couple of steps back to give Axel his space before giving him one of his lopsided grins. Axel glared at Sora as if he were trying to say he wasn't in the mood for any of Sora's jokes with his piercing eyes

Riku broke the tension by clearing his throat. "Sora and I aren't really having much luck here, so you want to try?" Riku pointed to the dark portal. Axel nodded and stepped forward.

Axel looked into the dark portal and saw nothing but black. That wasn't a good sign. From what he could tell, Demyx wasn't anywhere around. Axel was starting to doubt the tracking devices abilities.

"Are you sure this is the right location?" Axel asked with uncertainty. If this turned out to be a false alarm, he wasn't sure he would be able to handle it.

"Positive." Riku said as he looked at his hand held tracking device.

"…Demyx!" Axel called out as loud as he could into the darkness. For about ten minutes he called out into the realm of darkness and still saw nothing. For a second, he thought about giving up, until he saw something that caught him by surprise. He couldn't make out what it was, but whatever _it _was, was bright blue and stood out against the darkness. The bright blue object was moving closer and its shape was starting to become more defined. It looked like…it couldn't be but…that _had_ to be it. If Axel wasn't mistaken, what he saw was Demy's sitar. The shape was starting to get very close and was now very defined, and Axel's theory was confirmed. There was no way anyone else could be roaming around the dark realm with that thing.

"Demyx!!" Axel called out into the darkness, hoping that his friend could hear him. All Axel could see was the sitar, and it had stopped moving. Axel called out to Demyx again, and miraculously the sitar started moving towards him. Axel continued to call out to Demyx until he could see his friend clearly.

'It's really him…" Axels eyes widened. Demyx was standing about ten feet away. It had been so long since he'd seen him, but there he was, standing so close yet so far away. Demyx was right there, looking around for the source of the voice.

"Demyx!!" Demyx didn't realize it, but when Axel called out to him he was standing right next to the portal. Axel stuck one of his hands through the dark portal and poked Demyx in the side. Demyx squeaked and jump a few feet, eyes turning into saucers when he saw the floating hand. Axel snickered at his friends reaction and started speaking.

"Demyx!! Come on, lets get you out of here!" Axel called out excitedly. He was finally going to get his friend out of that morose place.

"Who are you?" Demyx asked curiously yet nervously. His eyes were wide and unblinking, and clearly a little disturbed.

"It's me, Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?" Axel said his annoying catch phrase and Demyx's eyes widened even more, if that was at all possible.

"A-Axel? But….wait…if your Axel, why is your hand floating around in the air? Axel's supposed to be in the dark realm too isn't he? I don't think I should trust you. I mean, you are a floating, talking hand and all." Demyx said as he poked Axel's hand with his sitar curiously. Axel twitched at his friends naivety and growled in frustration..

"Demyx quit poking me with that stupid thing before I burn it!!" Axel yelled as a huge fireball appeared in his hand. Demyx yelped as he threw his arms around his sitar protectively.

Demyx quickly came to a realization and stared at the flaming hand_. 'This has to be Axel…he's the only person that would ever threaten to burn my sitar.'_

Axel sighed before speaking again. "So are you coming or what?" Axel asked as he stretched his hand out towards Demyx. Demyx was almost a hundred percent certain by now that this was Axel, but still felt a bit chagrined. He didn't know where this would take him, but he knew that it had to be better than the dark realm. Demyx grabbed Axel's hand reluctantly and felt as though his arm were about to be ripped off. A lot of pressure was applied to his body as he felt himself being wrenched from the dark realm. Demyx saw a blinding white light and screwed his eyes shut, hoping the uncomfortable feeling would leave him. It did, and it was replaced by a calming sort of energy. Demyx did not open his eyes, but felt his surroundings with his other senses. He could almost feel the rapidly moving water crashing down on the sharp rocks below, and to him, it was one of the most comforting feelings in the world. A cool gust of wind hit Demyx as he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Axel smiling down at him with those bright green eyes. Demyx's face broke into a broad grin.

"OhmygodAxelitsyou!Icantbelievethis!Wherearewehowarewehere?!What'sgoingon?!HowdidIgethere?!"" Demyx rambled on excitedly as he nearly tackled Axel to the ground.

"Whoa, calm down Demyx. I'll explain everything in a minute." Axel said as he tried to pry his over excited friends' arm off of his waist. Demyx let go of Axel to see Sora and Riku standing a few feet away.

"Sora? Why's he here Axel? And you're Riku right?" Both Sora and Riku nodded simply. Axel opened his mouth to explain, but Demyx cut him off before he could utter a single syllable.

"Hey, does this mean that Roxas is here too? Where is he? I haven't seen him in forever!" Demyx asked as he looked over Axel's shoulder to find a very sweaty, out of breath Roxas. Demyx didn't seem to think the boy needed any time to recover and ran right over to the exhausted boy.

"Roxas!!" Demyx screamed as he tackled his friend to the ground. Roxas was so drained that he couldn't find the power to struggle when Demyx tackled him to the ground.

"Ow. Demyx, you're on my spleen…"

"What's a spleen?"

"I have no idea but I'm pretty sure you're on it."

"Oh…hehehe…sorry…"

Demyx got off of Roxas and walked back to Axel. When he got closer to Axel, he felt a strong urge bubbling inside of him that he hadn't felt in a long time. The droplets from the waterfall sprayed Demyx's face, refreshing him and making him feel almost as if he had been reborn…and reminding him how much Axel hated water. Demyx gave Axel a grin that definitely set off alarms in Axel's brain. Something told him that Demyx was formulating some plan in the back of his mind, although Axel wasn't quite sure what that plan was yet.

"Demyx…what are you…"

"Dance water dance!!"

"What the-AHHHHHH!!"

Demyx had managed to grab his sitar while Axel wasn't looking and played a few notes. At Demyx's command, the waterfall became monstrous and loomed over Axel's head. A split second later, Axel was drenched in water and extremely pissed.

"What the hell was that for?!"

"That was for trying to burn my sitar!" Demyx exclaimed as he pointed at Axel accusingly. Demyx's eyes widened as if he had remembered something important; he let out a gasp and waved his arms in the air frantically. "And you ate that last cookie I had been saving!!" Demyx said with a big pout and streamy tears.

"W-What cookie?"

"You know which one I'm talking about! Right before you left the Organization there was a really big chocolate chip cookie in the refrigerator that said 'property of Demyx', and you ate it!!"

"Oh…so you remember that huh? Um…well it's no big deal right? I mean, it's all in the past now." Axel said in a desperate attempt to save himself. There was no way he wanted to get wet again. Demyx narrowed his eyes at Axel before placing his hand on the sitar, indicating that he was about to start playing.

"No…Demyx…please don't do it. I'm begging you…"Axel pleaded weakly, fearing the worst was yet to come. Usually Axel wasn't afraid of Demyx in the least bit, but when he used his weakness against him, he was slightly intimidated. Demyx just grinned before lowering his head and playing a few simple notes.

"Dance water dance!!"

"AARRGGGG!! Demyx you stupid little brat! To think that I went through all that trouble to bring you back from the dead! Come over here and let me destroy that mullet of yours!!"

Demyx threw a hand over his head protectively before summoning three of his water clones. "ATTACK!!" Demyx's water clones proceeded to attack Axel, although they would have to catch up with him first. Axel was trying to run away from the water clones and Demyx, neither of which were very far behind. By now Roxas had regained his ability to breath properly as well as a little of his strength. He knew that he should try and stop them, no matter how fun it was watching the two play fight like they had in the old days.

"Hey, come on Demyx, cut Axel some slack. We worked really hard to get you back." Roxas shouted out to Demyx, but the boy couldn't seem to hear him over Axel's terrified screams. Roxas sighed and started to run after his pyromaniac lover and his water loving friend.

Sora and Riku had been observing this odd display of affection between the three for quite some time now and had large sweat drops on their foreheads. The three of them were basically running around in a giant circle with Axel in the lead, who was screaming his lungs out. Demyx and his water clones were in the middle while Demyx laughed like a complete maniac, clearly enjoying messing with his best friend and, last but not least, Roxas brought up the end of the chase and was currently yelling at the other two to stop.

"Are you sure they're really friends?" Riku asked uncertainly.

Sora laughed before replying. "Yeah, they are. They must care about each other a lot if they treat each other this way." Riku looked over to see that ever present wide grin on Sora's face and couldn't help but laugh too.

Meanwhile…

Back at the house, everyone else was starting to wake up. Aerith was already downstairs and was about to start making breakfast when she noticed a note sitting on the kitchen counter scribbled in Sora's messy handwriting.

_Aerith,_

_We got a signal on Demyx really early this morning. Didn't want to wake you. I took Riku, Roxas, and Axel to help me look for him. We should be back soon. Thanks._

_-Sora_

Aerith smiled before throwing the note in the trash can. "I guess I should make extra just in case." Aerith said to herself as she started to make a pot of coffee. As Aerith started cooking, a very sleepy looking Leon came downstairs and walked into the kitchen.

"Is the coffee ready yet?" Leon grumbled as he sat down at the kitchen table. Leon couldn't function properly in the mornings without his coffee, and the sooner he drank it, the better. Aerith shook her head at him before pulling a carton of orange juice out of the refrigerator and taking a clean glass off of the counter.

"It isn't ready yet, but it will be in a few minutes. Here, drink some orange juice. It's good for you and you really should drink something in the morning besides coffee." Aerith said as she sat the carton and glass on the table and went back to cooking. Leon grumbled and picked up the carton of orange juice. He poured himself a glass of the orange substance before staring at the carton. His eyes skimmed over it for a moment before something made his eyes widen. Leon put his head in his right hand as though he were trying to think of something. Just them Cloud walked in and noticed his boyfriends odd behavior.

"Leon…are you okay?" Cloud asked as he put a hand on Leon's shoulder.

"Shhhh…my orange juice told me to concentrate." Leon said as he swatted Cloud's hand away. Cloud looked at Leon peculiarly before noticing a carton of orange juice on the table. Cloud picked it up and examined it carefully. After a few moments he noticed the label said 'orange juice from concentrate.' Cloud looked down at Leon and saw that he was still following the orange juices orders and "concentrating." Cloud was shaking badly at this point to try and contain his laughter. As it turned out, if Leon was sleep deprived from his and Clouds…ahem…nightly activities, and didn't get some coffee in him, Leon stood as a victim to some very nasty blonde moments. Truth be told, although Leon was a smart man, if there was no caffeine in his system when he awoke in the mornings, he was definitely a blonde at heart. Cloud quickly regained his composure before clearing his throat.

"Excuse me for a moment." Cloud said as he ran from the kitchen to the living room.. Leon could hear what he swore was laughter being muffled by a pillow, but Leon wasn't quite sure why Cloud was laughing at him. Aerith walked over to the table and placed a cup of coffee down for him.

"Here's your coffee." Aerith said as she returned to the kitchen. Luckily for Leon, Aerith had been too busy cooking to hear his comment about the orange juice. Leon stared at the steaming mug for a moment before taking a sip. After a few minutes, the coffee seemed to hit his senses and his eyes widened. He was now fully aware of what he had told Cloud and was extremely embarrassed. Leon turned a bright shade of red and put his head in his hands. Aerith turned and looked at Leon and became concerned.

"Is there something wrong with your coffee Leon?"

"No Aerith, the coffee's fine." Leon groaned inwardly. He could still hear Clouds muffled laughter from the other room. Leon was still bright red when Sora and the others burst through the kitchen door. Eventually Axel, Roxas and Demyx had stopped chasing each other and had erupted into laughter. They had all walked back home together while Sora explained the whole story to Demyx. Demyx had listened carefully and thanked all of them several times. Aerith heard the door open and turned around. As she did this Axel ran into the hallway where one of the bathrooms was located. Demyx had been standing directly behind Axel and was now visible.

Aerith smiled at Demyx and walked up to him. "You must be Demyx. Axel and Roxas have told me a lot about you. I'm Aerith, I hope you like it here…even if it can get a bit crazy with so many of us."

Demyx gave her a broad smile. "Thanks…but are you sure it's okay for me to stay here? There are already so many people…"

"Don't be silly! This house is huge. We have plenty of room. Now all of you sit down, breakfast is almost ready so I hope you're hungry." The four of them sat down as Demyx's stomach growled. There had been no need or way for him to eat in the dark realm, but now that he was alive again, he was starving. Aerith gave a small laugh before returning to the kitchen. A few minutes later they heard a frustrated growl coming from the hallway, which was followed by Axel yelling.

"Marluxia!! Get out of the bathroom! I need to take a whiz!!" Axel yelled as he hopped around outside of the bathroom door. Axel hadn't gone to the bathroom yet this morning. In his haste to find Demyx he had forgotten to go before he left the house.

"There's more than one bathroom in this house Axel. Go bug someone else." Marluxia called from the restroom. Marluxia had always been a bit of a bathroom hog. He was obsessed with his looks and usually spent over thirty minutes in the bathroom in the morning.

"The other bathrooms are being used. Besides, I'm sure you've been in there for at least thirty minutes."

"Well yes, it's true that I've been in here for more than thirty minutes, but beauty takes time Axel….but it's not like you would know anything about that."

"Why you-" Usually Axel and Marluxia were good friends, but when it came to his habit of hogging the bathroom, Axel had no patience. He was about to yell at the pink haired man before he noticed Saix walking down the stairs. Axel knew that Saix was better at dealing with Marluxia than he was.

"Saix, get your conceited boyfriend out of the bathroom!!" Axel yelled and pointed at the bathroom door. Saix sighed before walking over to the bathroom door and knocking gently.

"Marly? Can I come in?" Saix heard the door unlock and turned the handle. Saix closed the door behind him, much to Axel's dismay, and observed his boyfriend. Marluxia was currently staring at himself in the mirror as he usually did in the mornings. Saix smiled as he walked behind his lover and wrapped his arms around his waist while resting his chin on the shorter mans head.

"What are you still doing in here?" Saix asked playfully as he nuzzled his face into Marluxia's neck.

Marluxia chuckled softly while reaching back to pet Saix's head. "Well you know, the usual." Marluxia removed his hand from Saix's head to pick up a comb to continue brushing his hair. Saix simply shook his head and clucked his tongue at Marluxia before taking the comb out of his lovers hand. Marluxia tore his gaze away from the mirror to look at his boyfriend questioningly.

"I don't know why you spend so much time in here. I think that you're absolutely beautiful already without all of this time in the bathroom." Saix murmured in Marluxia's ear before lifting his chin and planting a soft kiss of his lips. Marluxia blushed and looked up at Saix with glazed eyes.

"Now come on. Lets get out of here before Axel wets himself." Saix grabbed Marluxia's hand and pulled him out of the bathroom. Axel was still squirming outside of the door when they came out.

"Finally!" Axel exclaimed as he pushed past them to get into the bathroom. Saix rolled his eyes at Axel before walking into the kitchen. Before Axel closed the door, he could swear he heard something like Saix and Marluxia getting the breath knocked out of them by a squealing Demyx.

Ten minutes later everyone was downstairs eating. Demyx had been introduced to everyone and was now stuffing his face with various foods. No one was startled nor disgusted by Demyx's behavior because they already had to deal with Sora stuffing his face on a daily basis.

"Isn't Aerith the best cook ever!?" Sora asked Demyx with a full mouth. Demyx swallowed before nodding in agreement. The two continued to chat until Aerith noticed that both of the boys plates were practically clean.

"Seconds?" Aerith asked with a smile as she picked the boys plates up. They both nodded eagerly as she refilled their plates and placed them back on the table. Both of the boys attacked the plates the second they were put down.

Cid stared at the boys and shook his head. "Aerith, you need to stop feedin' those boys so damn much. They're gonna get fat."

"I think you should be worrying more about yourself Cid. It looks like you're putting on a few." Yuffie said playfully as she poked Cid in the side.

"You keep yer mouth shut ya little monkey!!"Cid yelled as he swatted Yuffie's hand away. Yuffie only replied by sticking her tongue out at Cid and the rest of breakfast went smoothly.

After breakfast Aerith put all of the dishes in the sink. Axel and Roxas went to show Demyx to his new room while everyone else went about their own business. The only two that stayed behind were Cloud and Leon because they were in charge of washing the dishes that day. Leon had a feeling that Cloud wasn't going to let him forget his little "episode" that he had had earlier that morning. They started washing dishes and it wasn't long before Cloud was shaking to try and suppress his laughter.

"Okay Cloud, that's enough." Leon said as he lowered his head to try and cover up the blush that was steadily making its way up his face. Cloud snorted and finally burst out laughing a couple of seconds later. Leon was now as red as a tomato and lowered his head even more.

"I would advise you not to take advice from orange juice darling. You won't get very far." Cloud exclaimed playfully as Leon looked up and narrowed his eyes at him.

"Hey! Now that's not fair! You know that without my coffee in the morning I'm-"

"Completely useless?" Cloud finished for him. Leon was about to say something back, but Cloud silenced him by putting a finger to lips. Cloud looked around the room to make sure nobody was there before speaking again. He laughed softly before adding "And I thought I was the blonde in this relationship. But don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Besides…I think it's cute Squally-chan." Leon twitched at Cloud's first statement and that stupid nick name Cloud used sometimes to get on his nerves when they were alone. Before Leon could argue, a pair of soft lips were pressed against his. Leon pulled the smaller man closer and thought that maybe Cloud's teasing wasn't so bad after all.

About a month later, everyone started to notice a change in Demyx's personality. The usually happy and carefree boy seemed to be slipping. He tried to act like everything was okay, but it didn't work very well. Axel and Roxas knew immediately what was wrong with their friend. They knew that even though they had brought Demyx back from the dead, the two most important people in his life were still lost somewhere in the dark realm. The two they were referring to were Luxord and Zexion. Luxord had always been the closest thing Demyx had to an older brother and Zexion had been Demyx's boyfriend. Everyone had started looking for both of them a few days after Demyx's return, but no one could find a trace of either one of them.

Demyx was up in his room lost in thought. Everyone else was out eating lunch. They had asked Demyx to come with them, but he had declined, telling them that he simply wasn't in the mood to go out.

'Luxord…Zexion…I miss you guys so much…'Demyx thought to himself as he gazed out the window. It had been very cloudy in Hollow Bastion recently, and he knew that his behavior was to blame. Whenever he was sad, it was almost like the heavens felt his pain and suffering. Demyx didn't think he would ever see Luxord or Zexion again. While he pondered this he heard someone knock on his door.

"Come in." Demyx said softly. He figured that someone had left one of their belongings that they needed in the house and were coming to ask him if he had seen it. Demyx looked up to see Roxas and Axel standing in his doorway. He gave them both an odd look as they started speaking.

"Hey, come downstairs. We've got something for you." Axel said as he pointed behind him.

"I'd rather not guys. I'm sure whatever it is can wait." Demyx said as he turned his back to them.

"Come on Demyx…you'll like it." Axel tried to persuade Demyx, but he just wouldn't budge. Roxas decided to take matters into his own hands.

Roxas walked over to Demyx and put a hand on his shoulder. "Demyx…please…this is important okay?" Demyx could hear the pleading tone in his friends voice. Demyx looked up to see dark blue eyes staring right at him in the same pleading manner, and Demyx knew he couldn't say no. Demyx got up reluctantly and followed Roxas and Axel. He was surprised when Axel's hands went over his eyes.

"No peeking now." Axel said in his ear as Roxas and Axel helped him down the stairs

Demyx soon felt himself being lead out of a door. Demyx figured that he had been brought outside because he could hear birds chirping and felt a cool breeze. Axel's hands left his eyes. "You can look now." Axel said.

Demyx opened his eyes and thought he was hallucinating. Everyone that currently lived at the house was standing off to the side, but what Demyx really noticed was who was standing about ten feet in front of him. Luxord was standing right there in front of him, but he wasn't quite sure he was going to be able to believe it. Demyx just stood there and gawked at Luxord before he spoke.

" You gonna stand there and just stare at me all day?" Luxord said as he smiled at Demyx.

Demyx realized that Luxord was really alive and right in front of him. Emotions that he never even realized he had and the ones he had kept bottled up inside for so long all rushed out of him at once. Demyx started crying and ran as fast as he could towards Luxord. When he reached him he pulled Luxord into a tight hug and nearly knocked him to the ground. Demyx was at a loss for words and did the only thing he could. He cried into Luxords chest and wouldn't let go. Luxord smiled at Demyx softly and wrapped one arm around the boy.

"It's okay Demyx. You can let go now."

"No. I don't want to. If…if I let go…you might disappear…and I don't want you to leave. I-I want you to stay." Demyx stuttered tearfully as he looked up at Luxord. The Gambler of Fate laughed heartily as he ruffled Demyx's hair affectionately.

"Don't worry. I won't be going anywhere anytime soon. I promise. Now what do you say we go out to lunch?" Demyx rubbed the tears out of his eyes and nodded weakly. Demyx gave Luxord a big smile before running towards the marketplace. Demyx knew that his smile wasn't real, but he knew he would have to pretend, if only for a little while. There was still a hole in his heart that only one person could fill, but if he pretended to be happy even for just a little while, maybe he would be able to make everyone else happy. Demyx pondered this, but ultimately wondered how long it would take for everyone to realize that the smile was only on the outside.

Authors note:

Sweet. This turned out to be a lot longer than the first chapter. Please review if u read this! It makes me write more!!lol. yeah, hoped you enjoyed it.


	3. The Smile is only on the Outside Part II

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts…unfortunately… I also don't own Plain White Tees or their song Hey There Delilah. Or Peeps. Or Demyx's super sandwich.lol.You'll see.

Warning: Rated T, possibly M in later chapters. Lots of shounen-ai/ Yaoi. BEWARE! SLIGHT AXEL BASHING IN THIS CHAPTER!! Lol. You'll love it, I swear. )

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon,soriku,zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Authors Note: I'm sooooo sorry that it took me so long to get this chapter up!! Schools just been crazy lately but I promise to all of you that I write every chance I get!!( Ask Ariel, she would tell you.) I'm extremely excited to present chapter to all of you!! This chapter is dedicated to my friend Natalie, who's been waiting for this chapter forever, though not always patiently. lol. ) I promised this would be a late birthday/ early Christmas present for her, so I hope she and the rest of you enjoy it.

It was cold and rainy. Just what he needed. Axel was currently running home in the rain and wasn't very happy about it. It was the middle of the day and it was nearly pitch black outside. Axel had no umbrella and was desperately trying to cover his head with his arms and failing miserably. It was the middle of December and Hollow Bastion had gone from its usually cool climate to dreary and nearly freezing. Although it had never snowed, it had been dark, cold and rainy for the past five months, since Demyx had been rescued from the dark realm. The news reporters in Hollow Bastion couldn't comprehend this strange phenomena, but everyone that lived under the same roof as Axel knew exactly what was going on. Their friend Demyx had become extremely depressed and his mood was causing it to rain almost constantly.

Although he had been brought back to life, the person that meant the world to him was still nowhere to be found. Axel was now at the front door fumbling for his house keys. He eventually managed to find them and unlocked the door, tumbling inside during the process. Axel was soaking wet and tried to ring his clothes dry, but sadly, he was unsuccessful. He walked into the living room to see Roxas and Luxord talking.

"Please tell me you've found some sign of that damn emo kid!!" Axel yelled as he shook his head to rid his hair of water. The red hair that was lying flat only moments ago was now back to its usual spiky fluffiness.

"Axel, don't say that! You know how upset Demyx is without him! You're his best friend, you shouldn't act like Demyx and his boyfriend are a nuisance no matter how much you hate water!!" Roxas yelled as he glared at Axel. That look could easily make Axel cower in fear.

Axel sighed as he replied. "I know…I'm sorry. I guess I'm just frustrated because we've been searching for five months and still haven't found a single thing. And to top it all off Demyx is sinking deeper and deeper into depression and we can't do a thing about it." Axel said quickly with clenched fists. He was upset because he felt completely useless. He wanted to make his friend happy, but the only person who could truly do that was the one person they couldn't find. Roxas walked up to Axel and wrapped his arms around him, resting his chin on Axel's shoulder.

"Don't worry. We'll find him. This isn't anyone's fault and we're doing everything we can." Roxas said to try and comfort his lover. Axel still wasn't convinced and turned to look at Luxord.

"Have you tried to talk to him? He might listen to you…" Axel asked.

Luxord shook his head and sighed. "He barely talks to me anymore. He usually only speaks when spoken to now, and even then it's only a few words." Luxord had a sad look in his eyes. Demyx usually told him pretty much anything and everything, but recently Demyx had become much more isolated from everyone.

"Where is he?" Axel asked as he looked out the window to see rain slipping slowly down the panes and a darkened sky.

"Probably down at the Postern. He goes down there a lot to play his sitar." Luxord said as he looked out the window as well. If at all possible, the sky looked like it had gotten even darker, and somewhere in that darkness, Demyx was mourning over the love of his life.

Down at the Postern sat a lone boy. No one came down there anymore. The people of Hollow Bastion rarely left their homes because of the bad weather, all of which was caused by Demyx. He sat at the Postern, playing his sitar, not caring about how wet he got. He just kept playing his sad melodies, wishing that they would somehow bring his love back. But that was impossible, and Demyx new it. He looked up at the sky and all he could see was darkness. It reminded him a lot of the World That Never Was, but none of that mattered now. Demyx had never been fond of that world. The place was too dark and seemed to swallow anything that stepped near it. In the Organization, Demyx had always been the one that defied the darkness and was never consumed by it. But for the first time in his life, Demyx could feel himself slipping into the dark, and no one could save him now. The only person that could do that was gone.

_Flash back_

_Demyx had always been painfully aware of his crush on Zexion ever since he joined to Organization. He was drawn to the boy the moment he saw him, although he didn't speak to Zexion at first. There was something very intimidating about him. He was smart and was always reading, and Demyx could swear he had never heard a single word come out of the boy's mouth. Demyx had tried to talk to Zexion a few times, but was always discouraged by a cold glare thrown at him over the top of a book. No one knew about his crush on Zexion, but all that changed when Roxas joined the Organization._

_The Superior had called a meeting that day, but never specified what it was for. Everyone took a seat at the long table and chattered idly until Xemnas stepped into the room. The Superior raised a hand to silence the other Organization members and all conversations ceased immediately. There was a blonde haired, blue eyed boy standing next to Xemnas wearing an unreadable expression. Demyx looked over at Axel, who seemed unusually attentive. He actually seemed interested in what the Superior had to say as to where he usually dosed off in the middle of his lectures. Demyx's thoughts were interrupted when the Superior started talking._

"_Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to the last member of the Organization, number XIII. Our Organization will now be known as Organization XIII." Xemnas said to address everyone in the room. He then continued by saying that now that the Organization was complete, they could fulfill their goal of completing Kingdom Hearts because they were now unstoppable. Demyx had heard similar speeches to this one and had become skilled at tuning them out while still looking like he was paying attention. Demyx looked at the blonde boy that still had no other name besides number XIII and noticed that the boy's expression was still unchanged. The only difference was that now he was slowly looking around as if he were trying to memorize everyone's faces so he would remember them, although he knew none of their names yet. Demyx looked over at Axel only to see him staring at the blonde as though there were something mesmerizing about him. Eventually the meeting was over and everyone got up and started leaving. Demyx noted that Saix and Marluxia had stopped to talk to the blonde boy for a moment. The encounter had been brief but they both smiled and waved at him before exiting the room. The boy was alone and Demyx decided to get up and talk to him._

"_Hi, I'm Demyx. What's your name?" Demyx asked as, suddenly right next to the boy. Demyx had a way of sneaking up on people like that._

_The boy blinked a few times before responding. "Umm…I'm Roxas…" The blonde boy said as he smiled slightly at Demyx. Demyx gave Roxas a wide grin. He then noticed that Axel was still in the room. He looked as though he were inwardly debating whether to go up and talk to Roxas or run away as fast as he could. _

"_This is Axel." Demyx said as he pointed to his red headed friend._

_Axel's eyes widened slightly and his cheeks turned pink. This behavior was odd for Axel, but Demyx dismissed it._

"_H-hi." Axel stuttered nervously as he waved at Roxas. Roxas smiled at him shyly and waved back. Demyx ruined the moment by speaking again. He had noticed that Zexion was still sitting at the other end of the table reading._

"_And that's Zexion." Demyx said as he pointed at him. Zexion looked up from his book and turned to look at Demyx. His one visible eye glared daggers at Demyx as he spoke._

"_I would advise you to call me by my number." said Zexion in his usual cold tone. Demyx flinched and backed away slightly. He gave a rather nervous laugh before turning to Roxas._

"_Hehe…um, anyway…you want me and Axel to show you around? The castle's pretty big and I would have been totally lost if Axel hadn't helped me out when I first joined."_

_Roxas gave Demyx a small smile and a nod before heading out the door with him and Axel._

_A few months had passed since Roxas had arrived and everything seemed to be going great. Well, to everyone else but Demyx anyway. He still couldn't really talk to Zexion and even when he tried the other simply ignored him the majority of the time. Demyx and Roxas were currently walking to the kitchen for lunch. As they made their way, they happened to run in to Zexion._

"_H-hi Zexion…" Demyx had meant for the greeting to sound confident, but he couldn't help but stutter. Zexion just made him so nervous, a feeling that Demyx wasn't used to. Zexion gave Demyx a small nod to acknowledge his presence. Demyx gave Zexion a big smile that he probably didn't even notice because his head was already back in his book. Demyx let out a sigh of disappointment as he turned to look at Roxas. The blonde had a look on his face that suggested he knew a deep dark secret that Demyx had been keeping for years. Before Demyx could ask about Roxas's strange behavior, Axel appeared behind the both of them._

"_Hey, looks like he might be warming up to you Demyx. You might not be a lost cause after all." Roxas and Demyx jumped at the sound of Axel's voice and spun around to look at him._

"_How long have you been standing there?" Demyx asked Axel nervously._

"_The whole time." Axel said as if it was absolutely no big deal. Demyx was about to yell at Axel when he heard a faint laugh. Demyx and Axel looked over to see Roxas laughing quietly to himself. When he noticed that Axel and Demyx were giving him an odd look, he turned somewhat pink and covered his mouth._

"_I'm sorry. I just thought it was cute." Roxas said, removing his hand from his mouth while the blush remained._

"_You thought what was cute?" Axel asked curiously with wide blinking eyes._

"_Zexion and Demyx I mean. It's so obvious that you like him." Roxas teased as he winked at Demyx. This caused Demyx's whole face to turn red as he looked down at his feet._

_Demyx heard sniggering coming from Axel's direction. "Told ya you were too obvious. I'm pretty sure the entire castle knows by now. Except for Zexion. He's too busy reading to notice much of anything." Demyx gave a small whimper of defeat as he lowered his head even more._

_Roxas stepped forward and tried to comfort his friend. "If it helps any…I think you two would make a really cute couple." Roxas said quietly as he grabbed Demyx's shoulder. Roxas saw the dejected look in Demyx's eyes and gave him a hopeful smile. Demyx sighed and shook his head slowly._

"_It's useless, Zexion hates me. I don't stand a chance with him."_

_Roxas shook his head at Demyx. "Don't say that. You do have a chance with him, you just need to get to know him better."_

"_Now how the hell is he supposed to do that? The kid doesn't talk to anyone." Axel asked skeptically. He could barely see someone having a decent conversation with the emo boy, much less being in an intimate relationship with him._

"_Well…maybe if Demyx tried talking about something Zexion was interested in he would like him more."_

"_The only thing I have to go on is that he likes to read a lot, and lets face it Roxas, I'm not much of a reader." Demyx said to Roxas skeptically. He thought that he had absolutely nothing in common with the slate haired man and that it was useless to try to talk to him._

"_Oh come on Demyx, you at least have to try. I think Zexion's heading for the library right now. You should go talk to him." Roxas said as he pointed in the general direction of the library. Demyx was about to protest when Axel cut in._

"_Yeah Demyx. You go find Zexion and __I'll __go eat lunch with Roxy." Axel said as he grabbed Roxas's arm and dragged him away. Demyx growled in disapproval as he watched his friends walk away. He knew that Axel just wanted Roxas to himself so he could flirt with him. Axels' crush on Roxas was so obvious that even oblivious little Demyx could see it. Demyx sighed and looked toward the direction of the library. The walk wasn't very long, but Demyxs' fear of being rejected by Zexion once again made the journey seem miles long. Demyx started walking slowly towards the library, hoping that Roxas' advice would actually work. Demyx remained lost in thought until he reached the entryway that contained the library on the other side. Demyx stared at the doors and they suddenly seemed much larger than they really were. Demyx gulped and realized that his hands were starting to sweat. He looked down at the doorknob and started reaching for it with a shaky hand._

'_C'mon…this is stupid…it's just a door… no reason to be afraid, right? Even though there's a really intimidating hot guy on the other side…oh God, I can't do this!!' Demyx thought to himself shakily as his hand approached the doorknob. Just as Demyx was about to put his hand on the door handle, it started turning slowly. The door opened to reveal Xemnas standing there looking at Demyx blankly._

"_Number Nine, what are you doing?" Xemnas asked as he stared at Demyx. The Superior wasn't sure why the boy was anywhere near the library, he didn't seem like the type that enjoyed reading._

_Demyx was still staring at the place where the doorknob used to be with wide eyes. His hand was still frozen in place, waiting to turn the doorknob that was no longer there. The Superior's patience started to run thin when Demyx didn't answer his question after a few seconds._

"_Number nine, I believe I asked you a question." Xemnas said impatiently as he stared down at Demyx._

"_Oh…hehe…nothing Mr. Superior sir." Demyx said as he looked up at Xemnas's stern face. He ran past the Superior and into the library before he could be questioned further._

_Demyx ran through the library and came to a halt when he got to the front desk and glanced back to see that Xemnas had not followed him. He then took a look around the library and stared in awe. He had never been in the library before, therefore he had never taken the time to notice how large and detailed it was. The walls and ceilings were intricately painted with the symbol of the Nobody in each corner. The book cases stretched far above Demyx's head, sliding ladders attached to each book case so that they could be reached. Demyx also noted that in the middle of the ceiling there was a beautifully detailed painting of Kingdom Hearts, the depiction of the Nobody's goal._

'_Jeez, do we really have to be reminded about that everywhere we go?' Demyx mentally complained to himself as his eyes continued to scan the detailed walls._

"_Number nine, what are you doing here?" Zexion asked, almost looking confused…almost…_

_Demyx whirled around to find Zexion standing about five feet away, a few feet in the air because he was standing on one of the many ladders that were placed around the library to reach a book._

"_N-Number six! How long have you been standing there?"_

"_I was in the back of the library, so I just got here…"_

'_Damn…how the hell did I not hear him behind me?' Demyx thought as Zexion continued to stare at him strangely. While Demyx tried to formulate an excuse for being in the library, he failed to realize that Zexion had already walked away._

"_Um…well…I'm in the library cause…" Demyx looked up and realized he was speaking to thin air. He looked around frantically and wondered where Zexion could have wandered off to. He thought back and remembered that Zexion had said something about being in the back of the library. Demyx headed towards the back of the library and started looking for Zexion, which was proving to be easier said than done. Although Demyx was in the back of the library, it was so big that he worried that he would get lost before he found Zexion. Thankfully, after fiver minutes, Demyx found Zexion sitting by himself in a corner reading._

"_Hey! Why did you just leave me there like that?!" Demyx whined as he pointed a finger accusingly at Zexion. _

"_Well you were just standing there muttering to yourself so I left because I didn't think you were going to say anything?" Zexion said in a bored tone and he looked up at Demyx._

_Demyx blinked a few times before noticing the book that was sitting on the desk in front of Zexion. Demyx sat down in the chair next to him and stared at the book curiously._

"_Whatchya reading?" Demyx asked as he pointed to the book. Zexion looked at Demyx in surprise and looked down to the book he was pointing at._

"_Oh…Romeo and Juliet. It's always been one of my favorites." Zexion said as he looked back up at Demyx. Demyx eyed the book curiously._

"_How do you understand it?"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Well, I mean it's hard to understand because of the way it's written. That's why I've never read it. I looked at the first couple of pages and got so confused that I gave up."_

"_Hard to understand? Not really. Once you've got the basic concept of the language it's actually very easy to comprehend."_

"_Then…can you teach me?"_

"_Teach you what Number nine?_

"_Teach me the language of Romeo and Juliet so I understand it."_

_Zexion looked down at the copy of Romeo and Juliet and back at Demyx as if he was trying to make an extremely hard decision. He wasn't really sure if he could take on trying to teach a spastic kid with a mullet._

"_Hmm…I guess I could teach you…" Zexion said as if he was unsure of what he was getting himself into. Demyx grinned widely and scooted closer to Zexion so that they could start._

_Zexion and Demyx's trips to the library became common. As the months went by, their library trips went from something they did once a week to something they did on a daily basis. Zexion started to realize that Demyx was actually very smart, he caught on to concepts quickly and remembered them. Zexion also noticed that he was starting to feel attracted to Demyx…not that he would ever admit that to anyone, __**especially**__ not Demyx._

_During one of these library visits, Demyx was digging through a large pile of books and came across a book that he had never seen before. His eyes widened in curiosity at the book as he turned to Zexion._

"_Zexion, what's this?" Demyx asked curiously as he held up the book for Zexion to see._

"_It looks like a Christmas book." Zexion remarked as he looked at the cover. It showed a brightly lit Christmas tree with many brilliantly wrapped presents underneath. There was also a window off to the side that illustrated a cold, snowy night outside. You could see Santa's sleigh flying away into the night, the moon full and bright._

_Demyx looked at Zexion as if he had no idea what he was talking about._

"_What's Christmas?" Demyx asked, clearly confused._

" _You really have no idea what Christmas is?" Zexion asked skeptically as he looked at Demyx is disbelief. Demyx shook his head back and forth a few times and looked to Zexion for an explanation._

'_His knowledge of Christmas must have been erased as well as his memories when he was separated from his other half.' Zexion thought to himself. Many of the other Organization members had not knowledge of Christmas either, since your knowledge of most human activities and your memories disappeared when you made the transition from a human to a Nobody. Zexion on the other hand still remembered what Christmas was, although he couldn't place any specific memories with this knowledge._

"_Well…it's a holiday that humans celebrate…" Zexion said as he explained everything he knew about Christmas to Demyx. He soon had a very wide eyed Demyx staring at him in amazement._

'_He's just like a little kid.' Zexion thought as he chuckled to himself._

_After that day, Demyx became nearly obsessed with the idea of Christmas. He would read as much about the holiday as he possibly could and told anyone about the holiday that was willing to listen. Some of the Organization members, such as Roxas and Axel, seemed interested, but other Organization members found it to be an annoyance and glared at Zexion every time they walked by him for putting the strange ideas in the Melodious Nocturne's head._

_On one of these days, Demyx was talking excitedly to Zexion about possibly getting a Christmas tree when his stomach suddenly grumbled loudly. Demyx blushed and turned to Zexion._

"_It's around lunch time and I'm starting to get kinda hungry…so do you want to get something to eat with me?" Demyx asked hopefully. Zexion nodded his head in reply and followed Demyx to the kitchen._

_Meanwhile, Axel and Roxas were having a conversation concerning the possibility of a certain emo boy and music fanatic getting together._

"_So do you think they would stand a chance together?" Axel asked Roxas out of curiosity._

"_Of course, pretty much everyone here has been talking about how they should be a couple." Roxas stated simply. Everyone has started to take notice of the bond growing between Demyx and Zexion as they spent more time together and noticed the obvious attraction._

_Axel laughed shortly and said " Have you noticed how Zexion's stopped correcting Demyx when he calls him by his real name."_

"_Yeah, but of course Zexion still wont call Demyx by his name."_

"_Oh he'll stop doing that eventually. They'll figure it out." Axel said._

"_Hmm…you're probably right." Roxas said absentmindedly. "They'll get together."_

"…_Speaking of getting together Roxas, do you think that we…"Axel started as he looked up at Roxas and noticed that he seemed oddly distracted by something._

"_Roxas…are you even listening to me?" Axel asked as he looked at Roxas skeptically._

_Roxas just stared at a spot off in the distance, as if he hadn't heard Axel at all._

"_Roxas…?"_

"_Superior sir…what are you doing?" Roxas asked as he looked at the strange sight in front of him. Axel looked over at the place Roxas was staring at and was met by a very odd sight. The Superior had his ear against the door that lead to the kitchen, which basically put his ass in the air._

'_Well that explains a lot.' Axel thought as he twitched slightly. He got up and walked over to the Superior cautiously._

"_Um…Superior sir…why are you…" Axel was cut off by Xemnas telling him to hush, and was grabbed by the head and was forced to put his ear against the door._

"_What am I supposed to be listening to?" Axel asked curiously as he tried to decipher the voices on the other side of the door._

"_Number six and number nine are eating lunch together." Xemnas whispered quietly as he kept his ear pressed to the door. Axel couldn't help but laugh at the situation. The relationship between Demyx and Zexion even had the Superior interested. Roxas soon came over and leaned against the door as well. Now there were three Organization members stacked against the door._

_Meanwhile…in the kitchen…_

"_Do you want me to make you something?" Demyx asked Zexion as he lead him over to the counter._

"_You cook?" Zexion asked as he raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Demyx seemed like the type of guy that could burn water._

"_Well yeah, but what I had in mind doesn't really require any cooking." Demyx said as he smiled at Zexion sheepishly._

_Zexion cocked his head to the side curiously. " And what exactly are you thinking of making?"_

"_Well…I'd hate to brag, but I make a really good sandwich." Demyx said with a cheeky grin._

"_Sandwiches huh? Well that's different. What kind of sandwich do you have in mind?" Zexion asked as he laughed slightly. Demyx was definitely an odd one._

"_Is there a specific type that you like?" Demyx asked as he rummaged through the fridge to see what they had._

"_Hmm…I'm not all that picky…"_

_Demyx looked up and gave Zexion a wide grin. " Well then… I guess I'll just have to make you my specialty sandwich." Demyx said as he started pulling different meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments out of the fridge._

_On the other side of the door…_

_The other eleven members member's of the Organization were stacked against the door. Everyone had an ear pressed to the door, straining to hear what was being said on the other side. Axels eyes widened slightly. Roxas noticed this and turned his head to get a better look at his friend._

"_What's wrong with you?" Roxas asked as Axels wide eyes just became wider. The others turned to look at Axel curiously._

"_I've tried one of Demyx's specialty sandwiches before…I couldn't even finish half of it because it was so big." Axel said as he stared at the wall unblinkingly. The others eyed widened and pressed their ears to the door eagerly._

_Back in the kitchen…_

_Zexion stared in amazement as he watched the scene unfolding before him. Demyx was stacking about every type of meat, cheese and vegetable imaginable on to two pieces of bread._

'_How the hell is he managing to even keep that thing together?' Zexion asked himself as he watched the sandwich get bigger and bigger._

_On the other side of the door…_

_Luxord, of course, was taking bets by this point. Everyone was throwing in munny, betting on exactly how much of Demyx's specialty sandwich Zexion could actually eat._

"_Well I'm betting thirty munny that he can't even finish half of it." Axel said as he waved his munny in the air._

"_Well I'm betting all of you thirty munny that he can finish all of it." Roxas exclaimed confidently while everyone else just stood there and looked at him like he was crazy._

"_You sure about that kid?" Luxord asked with a sly grin._

"_Yeah Roxas. If I could barely finish half of Demyx's sandwich, there's no way a guy as tiny as Zexion could even come close to finishing the whole thing." Axel said skeptically as the other Organization members nodded in agreement._

"_I'll bet you all double that he can finish two." Roxas stated even more confidently as he pressed his ear back to the door._

_In the kitchen…_

"_There, it's done." Demyx said with satisfaction as Zexion stared at the sandwich in awe. It was stacked with many ingredients, stood to be nearly a foot tall and seemed to be held up by unknown forces._

"_How do I eat it…?" Zexion asked as he looked at the sandwich skeptically. It would be physically impossible for him to fit the whole thing in his mouth._

"_Hehe…well…you'll have to be creative with that one…" Demyx said uncertainly as he scratched the back of his head._

_Zexion thought for a moment. "I think I have an idea." He said as he reached into his cloak to pull out his book. Demyx looked over at Zexion curiously as the slate haired man flipped through the pages of his large book. After a couple of minutes, Zexion found the page he was looking for and scanned over it with his eyes. He then looked over at the sandwich and mumbled something under his breath. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and the sandwich was a normal size._

"_How…how the hell did you do that!?" Demyx asked as his jaw fell slack._

"_Lets just say that my book can do quite a few things." Zexion said as he chuckled at Demyx's expression. The boy had a way of being extremely amusing at times._

"_That's…amazing…"_

"_Thank you."_

"_But wait. When you shrunk the sandwich did you take anything out of it?"_

"_Surprisingly, no. I just condensed it so that it was possible for me to fit it in my mouth." Zexion said as he munched on the sandwich contently. He didn't speak again until he was nearly done._

"_Do you mind making me another one?" Zexion asked as he looked over at the older boy. Demyx nodded happily before burying his head in the fridge to dig out everything he needed to make Zexion another sandwich._

_Thirty minutes later…_

_Ten Organization members reluctantly handed Roxas sixty munny each. There were several grumbles as Roxas collected it cheekily._

"_Told you it would happen." Roxas laughed as he waved goodbye and walked away._

_The moment Roxas was out of the room, the kitchen door swung open, which knocked over Xemnas, which started a domino effect. In a matter of seconds, ten Organization members were knocked to the ground and piled on top of one another, and somehow, Axel had managed to become squished at the bottom of the pile._

"_Would all of you get your fat asses off of me!!" Axel yelled irritably. Although his voice was muffled, Axel's words were understood loud and clear and caused a mass scramble of Nobodies to untangle their limbs from one another._

"_What are you guys doing?" The Organization members looked up to see Demyx and Zexion staring at them in confusion._

"_Hehe…nothing really…just having a nice little chat with everyone." Axel said nervously as he and the other Organization members that had been eaves dropping laid splayed across the floor._

"_I find it hard to believe that you were all conversing in front of the kitchen door." Zexion said as he glared down at Axel._

'_Damn, that emo boy's scary as hell sometimes.' Axel thought as he visibly flinched under Zexion's gaze._

"_Were you guys eaves dropping!?" Demyx yelled as he glared accusingly at the other Nobodies. Everyone tried to look anywhere else but at Demyx while they tried to look innocent, which failed miserably._

"_And what's this?" Demyx asked as he picked up the notepad Luxord had been using to keep track of everyone's bets. Demyx read the page to himself before reading it out loud._

"_Bet on Zexion eating Demyx's sandwich. Looks like all of you threw in thirty munny on Zexion not being able to finish the sandwich. Except for Roxas, who threw in double, saying he could finish two. But wait…that means…YOU ALL GAVE ROXAS SIXTY MUNNY EACH!?" Demyx exclaimed as his eyes widened._

"_Yeah…pretty much. Now he's walking around with 600 munny in his pocket." Axel said sheepishly as he watched Demyx's anger level rise drastically._

"_And I'm going to take a wild guess and say that this bet was all your idea Luxord?" Demyx asked through gritted teeth. Luxord shrunk back at the sight of the angry Demyx. The boy didn't loose his temper often, but when he did it was pretty damn frightening._

"_Well…yes…but I would have never been eaves dropping in the first place if Axel hadn't dragged me over to the door." Luxord said as he pointed a finger at Axel accusatively. _

"_Hey, don't blame this on me! The only reason I was eaves dropping was because Roxas and I found the Superior with his ear pressed against the door and we got curious about what he was doing!" Axel said in defense._

_Everyone turned to look at their Superior in surprise, confusion, and slight curiosity. Realizing he was still on the floor, the Superior stood up quickly and loomed over the other Organization members._

"_I believe that I left each of you a mission to complete this morning and none of you have started yet. I suggest that you do it now and check in with me after you're done to give me a report on how it went. Oh, and number eight, I'll see you after everyone completes their mission for an extra bit of training." The Superior said in a dangerously low voice._

_Everyone left through separate dark portals as soon as Xemnas was done speaking, including Axel, who had streamy tears running down his face by this point. The Superior calling you in for extra training was never good under any circumstance._

'_Why me?' Axel thought as he stepped through his dark portal and prepared himself for the pain he would be feeling later that night._

_As the weeks went by, Demyx still hadn't given up his idea of having Christmas at the castle. It just so happened that Axel and Roxas were looking for him, but couldn't seem to find the Melodious Nocturne anywhere._

"_Where the hell is that kid? He hasn't been around all day." Axel said as he went from room to room with Roxas._

"_Who knows. We've asked everyone if they've seen him and no one has, not even Zexion." Roxas said as he scanned each room carefully._

"_You think Xemnas sent him on a mission or something?" Axel asked curiously._

"_Doubt it. The Superior hasn't sent anyone on a mission in weeks."_

_Axel looked over at Roxas and took some time to admire how gorgeous he was. He knew that he was slowly falling in love with the boy and that he needed to use every opportunity he had to get closer to him._

'_Wait…I'm alone with him right now. I've been alone with him for the past few hours. What the hell am I doing?' Axel argued with himself internally as he turned to smile at Roxas._

"_So Roxas…now that we're alone…I've been thinking that maybe sometime we could…" Axel paused in mid-sentence when he realized Roxas wasn't even listening. He was just staring up at the ceiling with one eye twitching._

"_Um…Roxas…are you…"_

"_WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!!"_

"_What the…" Axel looked up to see what the source of the noise was only to be squelched by something large and green. Roxas kept twitching because he had a very odd sight in front of him. The thing that Axel had been crushed by was a large Christmas tree._

_Roxas had no idea what Axel had been saying because he was too focused on the huge, dark portal that had opened up on the ceiling right above Axel. A few seconds later the Christmas tree, as well as Demyx, had fallen from it and squished Axel. Demyx was now sitting on top of the Christmas tree, wearing a Santa hat and carrying what looked like bags upon bags of Christmas decorations._

"_Number Nine…where on earth have you been?" Zexion asked as he walked into the room._

"_Oh, hey Zexy. I-_

"_How many times must I ask you not to call me that?"_

"_Oh…hehe…sorry. Anyway, I went to get a tree and other Christmas stuff so that we can celebrate this year!"_

"_Yes, I can see that. But __**where **__did you get all of this stuff exactly?"_

"_In Christmas Town of course." Demyx stated rather simply._

"_There's actually a world called Christmas Town?" Zexion stated in disbelief._

"_Well…it's kind of a world inside of a world…"_

"_You'll have to explain that one."_

"_Well you see, when I first went through my dark portal I ended up in this place called Halloween Town. I knew that I didn't need to be there, but I thought taking a look around wouldn't hurt. While I was there I met this guy named Jack who I thought was kind of weird at first cause he kept trying to scare me, but then I actually started talking to him and he was actually pretty cool. And there's this girl named Sally who I personally think should go out with Jack and she was pretty cool too. Oh! And Jack has this little ghost dog named Zero who's really cute!! But the mayor there is really annoying cause he can't do anything by himself and needs Jack's help for everything. There were also these three little brats that kept playing pranks on everyone. But anyway, I asked Jack if he knew where I could get Christmas stuff and told me to go to the woods. He would have gone with me but he was really busy."_

"_So I went to the woods and pretty soon I found all of these trees with different holiday doors on them. The first one I found was one with a big heart on it and when I opened the door I was sucked into this world that was really pink and fluffy. It was really gross cause there were all these people that were being just a little too friendly with each other…but they did have candy…lots of candy. But I found another tree that had a big egg on it and stepped in there. On the other side there was a bunch of bunny shaped chocolates and these little marshmallows with sugar on them called Peeps. But I had to get out of there pretty quick cause the giant bunny got really mad when I tried to take some candy!!"_

"_So I started running and I jumped into the first tree I found. It had a turkey on it and I thought that I'd be safe there. The problem was that when I went through the door I forgot to close it all the way and the giant bunny followed me in! So I got on the other side of the door and I was surrounded by a flock of turkeys! And let me tell you, those turkeys__** hated**__ me. So then I got chased by a giant bunny __**and **__a flock of turkeys. I fought most of 'em off with my water clones though. But as I kept running I finally found a tree with a Christmas tree door on it and ran into it, making sure to shut it behind me this time."_

"_What I saw on the other side was amazing! There was snow everywhere!! But I felt kind of bad for my water clones because they froze the second I wound up on the other side. But I went into town and there were pretty Christmas lights everywhere!! I went to all these stores and found a ton of Christmas decorations for really cheap prices. Then I got to meet Santa and he gave me this Christmas tree for free!!"_

_Zexion and Roxas were both sporting large sweat drops by the end of Demyx's rant and were staring at him like he was crazy._

"_Uh…that's nice…I guess…" Zexion said uncertainly._

"_I can't wait to show everyone the tree! Hey Roxas, where's Axel? I really want him to see this." Demyx said as he looked around the room to see if Axel was anywhere around._

"_Um…he's under the tree…" Roxas said as he looked down at the pitifully squished Axel._

"_Oh…hehe…woops…" Demyx said as he got off of the tree and lifted it up to reveal a very squished and very pissed Axel._

"_Look Axel! I got a Christmas tree!" Demyx said enthusiastically as he pointed at the tree._

"_I can see that Demyx! I've been staring at it for the past ten minutes! Now get it out of my sight before I burn it!!" The pine needle covered Axel yelled as a massive fire ball appeared in his hands._

"_No!" Demyx whined as he hugged the tree defensively._

_Before Axel and Demyx could continue their argument, Saix ran into the room and stopped to observe the scene._

"_Oh, hey Sai. What's up?" Roxas asked as he ripped his eyes away from his arguing friends._

"_You haven't heard? The Superior just sent out an emergency mission to all of us. We're supposed to be down to meet him right now." Saix said quickly as he ran past the four of them._

"_Shit…" Axel whispered gruffly as he ran after Saix. Zexion soon followed in suit, followed by Roxas and Demyx moments later._

_Three hours later…_

_Organization Thirteen trotted back into the castle soaking wet. Their mission had been difficult, but successful. On the way back it had started raining and now there were some very cranky Organization members._

"_Saix just had to take that "shortcut" on the way back." Axel exclaimed grumpily as he wrung out his limp hair. He was soaked to the bone and Axel detested water._

"_You should be grateful. If we had taken the other way around we would have run into even more rain." Saix said matter-of-factly as he crossed his arms._

"_Would have run into even more rain?! I don't think it's possible to be more wet than I already am!" Axel growled in frustration._

"_Why don't we stick you outside for a little longer and find out!"_

"_Why don't I shove my foot up your-_

"_Would you two stop arguing!" Zexion yelled. Axel and Saix looked up to see an irritable looking Zexion in front of them. "It doesn't matter which way we took, we'd be soaking wet either way so stop complaining."_

_By this point Zexion had gotten everyone's attention. Everyone (especially Demyx) watched as Zexion took the hood of his cloak off to reveal dripping, slate colored hair, and black eye liner running down his face. He then took off his cloak to reveal soaked, tight black pants and a white shirt that hugged his body._

_Demyx caught sight of this and got a nosebleed almost immediately. Zexion looked over at Demyx and was a bit confused._

"_Are you okay?" Zexion asked as he watched the boy in concern. Demyx became aware of his bleeding nose._

"_No! No! Nothing's wrong! I'm perfectly fine!" Demyx said reassuringly as he turned around frantically to stuff tissues up his nose._

"_Alright then…I'm going back to my room…need to take a shower before I catch a cold…" Zexion said as he slowly walked up the stairs. Demyx's eyes followed Zexion up the stairs and around the corner. Shortly after, he followed him with a dazed glaze over his eyes._

"_Looks like someone's having fun watching Zexion's backside." Axel murmured as he watched Demyx follow after Zexion._

"_Love sick puppy." Luxord muttered as he shook his head. Demyx was really starting to fall in love with the Cloaked Schemer. _

_The next day…_

_Axel, Roxas, and Luxord were looking around for Demyx, who was missing yet again. No one had seen him all day and he apparently hadn't come down for breakfast or lunch, which was odd for someone with an appetite as big as his._

"_Where the hell is that kid? Him not coming down for breakfast and lunch is just bizarre." Luxord said as he scratched his head in confusion._

"_I don't know. Maybe he's not even in the castle. He might be out like he was yesterday." Roxas stated simply._

"_You don't think he's gone out to get another Christmas tree do you?" A paranoid Axel asked as he hid behind Roxas and looked up at the ceiling. He had been extremely cautious since the incident with the Christmas tree the night before._

"_I don't think that's it kid." Luxord laughed. "I'll go see if he's in his room."_

_As Luxord approached Demyx's bedroom door, he knocked quietly and received no reply. He knocked a bit louder and still got no reply in return. Luxord sighed and tried to open the door only to find out that it was locked. Luxord realized that he had no choice but to use a dark portal to get into the room. He did so a moment later. When he arrived in Demyx's room, the first thing he noticed was that there were papers littered all over the floor, desk, dresser, and bedside table. Luxord looked up to see Demyx sitting on his bed, writing frantically. Luxord picked up a stack of papers and read through a few of them._

"_So you've been up here all day writing a new song." Demyx became aware that Luxord was in his room and looked up with confused, bloodshot eyes, as if he had been working for hours. He saw that Luxord had some of the papers in his hands and turned a violent shade of red._

"_Luxord! Please don't look at them! This song's kind of private!" An embarrassed Demyx exclaimed as he grabbed as many papers as he could._

"_I'm guessing that this one will be about Zexion?" Luxord asked as he respectively put the papers he had been holding in a neat pile on Demyx's desk._

"_Yeah…" Demyx said shyly as he started organizing papers into different piles._

"_Well, I'm sure you'll do fine. You should play it for him when you're done writing it."_

"_I don't know about all that…"_

"_Well in any case, maybe you should take a break and get out of this room. You still need to put up the tree and those Christmas decorations."_

"_Oh yeah! I totally forgot!" Demyx said as he ran out of his room. Luxord laughed as he watched the boy's display of enthusiasm._

'_That kid is something else…'_

_The next day, the castle had been transformed by millions of Christmas decorations. Demyx had hung Christmas lights, mistletoe, and several other decorations in each part of the castle. With Axel, Roxas, Zexion, and Luxord's help, they had even managed to put the tree up. Everyone had noticed that the atmosphere of the castle had completely changed since the decorations had been put up and everyone seemed to be in a better mood._

"_I can't believe how good the castle looks." Roxas said as he walked down the hall with Axel._

"_I know. I can't believe the kid actually pulled it off." Axel said in amusement._

"_Yeah…but I kind of like it…" Roxas trailed off as they continued walking._

"_Hmm…I bet it's a lot nicer this time of year in some other worlds though." Axel said thoughtfully._

"_You think so?"_

"_Well yeah. I mean, this worlds so dark and were obviously the only ones celebrating the holidays here."_

"_Then we should go visit one of those worlds sometime." Roxas said as he stopped walking suddenly. Axel stopped just as abruptly and watched Roxas closely. "Maybe that place Christmas Town that Demyx was talking about…"_

_Axel scratched his head and looked up at the ceiling. His eyes widened slightly at what he saw. "Damn it Demyx…"_

"_What?" Roxas asked as he looked up at Axel._

"_Uh…Demyx…it looks like he kind of hung mistletoe in the hallway…"_

"_Oh…" Roxas said quietly as he looked up at the mistletoe hanging innocently from the ceiling._

"_Well it's not like we really have to kiss or anything. I mean…we don't have to if you don't want to…" Axel ranted as he waved his arms around frantically._

"_Axel…"_

"_Huh…yeah…?" Axel blinked as he stopped his frantic rant. Suddenly he felt a warm pair of lips on his own. The action was quick, but pleasant. Axel turned several shades of red in a matter of seconds and looked down to see that Roxas had turned slightly pink._

"_Roxas?" Axel asked in bewilderment. He couldn't believe that Roxas had actually kissed him. Roxas looked down at his feet before he ran away from Axel with a flaming red face. _

_In the next couple of weeks, Christmas morning arrived and Demyx was up at the crack of dawn. He was going from room to room, waking everyone up to open presents. The other Organization members mumbled groggily at Demyx's excitement, but when they saw the tree with so many presents under it, they were all awake almost immediately, except for the Superior that is._

"_Superior sir? Wake up! It's Christmas!!" Demyx said excitedly as he knocked on the Superior's bedroom door. Moments later a very tired looking Xemnas opened his door and looked down at Demyx sleepily. His hair was going in several different directions and his cloak was wrinkled, but that didn't matter to Demyx. All that mattered was that the Superior was up to celebrate Christmas with them._

"_Why are we awake at this hour? Do we really need to celebrate this unnecessary human holiday?" Xemnas whined sleepily. He was just about to turn around and go back to sleep when Demyx unleashed his deadliest weapon: the puppy dog eyes. Xemnas tried to look away, but it was too late. Those eyes were already imprinted in his mind._

"_**Please…**__" Demyx whined as he added the puppy dog pout to his deadly puppy dog eyes. No one could resist a face like Demyx's when he attached the puppy eyes __**and **__the puppy dog pout, not even Xemnas._

"…_Fine…" Xemnas said as he followed the other to the Christmas tree. Xemnas sat on the couch but still looked extremely tired. This caused him to fall asleep yet again. Unfortunately for Axel, he was sitting on the couch next to Xemnas and wound up being the Superior's pillow._

"_Someone get him off of me. I think he's drooling." Axel twitched as he tried desperately to push the drooling Superior off of him._

"_I'll go make him some coffee. That should wake him up." Saix said as he headed towards the kitchen._

_In the next hour, almost everyone had opened all of their presents. They had all made an agreement that everyone in the castle had to get one present for everyone else. Even the Superior was fully awake now and seemed to be enjoying himself, although he was very subtle about it. The only two gifts that needed to be opened now were Demyx's gift to Zexion and Zexion's gift to Demyx. The two boys looked at each other shyly and opened their gift._

_Demyx got his open first and found one of the most thoughtful things anyone had ever made for him. Zexion had taken the time to make him a CD with all of his favorite songs on it. Demyx looked at the CD with wide eyes as he examined the piece of paper on the inside of the cover that had all of the track number's titles on it._

"_Do you like it?" Zexion asked as he looked up at Demyx uncertainly._

"_Yeah…I love it. But you still haven't opened your present yet." Demyx smiled as he looked down at Zexion's half-opened gift. Zexion finished unwrapping his gift and got the same wide eyed expression that Demyx had had moments before. Inside a small box lay a black choker that was simple, yet beautiful and elegant. It had a simple lace pattern that Demyx thought would look perfect on Zexion._

"_I love it…" Zexion said in amazement as he lifted the choker out of the box._

"_Do you want to put it on?"_

"_Yes…I'd like that." Zexion said quietly._

"_Here, let me help you." Demyx said as he gently took the choker out of Zexion's hands. He put the choker around Zexion's neck and snapped the clasp. Zexion turned around afterwards to check for Demyx's approval._

"_It looks great on you." Demyx said as he smiled and turned slightly pink at what he had told Zexion._

"_Hey Demyx. Look up." Axel said suddenly. Demyx did what Axel told him to do and became very scared. Demyx and Zexion had been sitting together in front of the tree the entire time and had failed to notice the mistletoe hanging right above them._

"_Now I know that I did __**not **__hang that there." Demyx said as he looked over at Axel. Axel winked at him and gave him a thumbs up. Axel had his other arm wrapped around Roxas. After their mistletoe incident, Roxas and Axel had gotten together, and in an odd way, it was all thanks to Demyx. If he hadn't hung that mistletoe in that exact spot, who knows if they would have ever kissed. So Axel was trying to say thank you and return the favor in his own weird little way._

'_Damn you Axel! Why would you put that there!' Demyx thought to himself as he started to panic. He had no idea how to handle the situation._

"_It's okay Zexion. We don't have to do it if you don't want to…" Demyx trailed off. _

_Zexion had had his head down the entire time, so Demyx was unsure about how he would react. Suddenly, Zexion grabbed Demyx's shoulders and kissed him straight on the lips. For a few seconds Demyx kept his eyes open and didn't move, but then he realized what was happening and kissed Zexion back. After a few more seconds the two reluctantly broke apart and stared at each other lovingly. Zexion, realizing where they were, was the first to break the silence._

"_I'll um…I'll be talking to you soon Demyx…" Zexion said as he stood up and took a final look back at Demyx. Demyx was overjoyed to see the blush on Zexion's face and the smile he gave him as he walked out of the room. It was so loving and caring that it made Demyx ridiculously happy. It was also the first time that Zexion had called him by his real name. Demyx smiled as he realized that his relationship with Zexion was about to get a lot better._

_One year later…_

_It was Christmas morning, but a very gloomy one at that. Demyx walked down the halls of the castle wondering where everyone was. They had all agreed to celebrate Christmas together again this year, but that was before…_

'_Before everyone started getting sent out on missions to defeat the Keyblade wielder and wound up getting killed instead.' Demyx thought bitterly. Several members of the Organization had already been killed trying to defeat Sora. Roxas had run off to discover who he really was and had already been caught. He was currently being used by DIZ for his own selfish needs. Roxas had told Axel not to follow him, but of course he didn't listen. Wherever Roxas went, Axel was sure to follow. No one had seen either of them since and the Superior had dubbed them traitors. This meant that no matter what the circumstance, Axel and Roxas should be dead to all of them._

'_Well he's wrong.' Demyx argued with himself as he continued down the hall. Axel and Roxas were still his friends, and their leaving had taken an affect on everyone. Their friends Saix and Marluxia weren't even the same people anymore. They barely ever spoke anymore and it was heart breaking to see them like that. Demyx knew that Christmas would be a little different this year, but he still had Zexion and Luxord, and he at least wanted to celebrate the holiday with them. He was extremely anxious about seeing Zexion because he had finally finished writing his song for him and he wanted to play it for him as a Christmas present. Just as he was thinking about his song, Demyx saw Luxord walking down the hall towards him._

"_Hey Luxord!" Demyx called as he waved to the older man. Luxord looked up and gave a weak smile._

"_Have you seen Zexion? I finally finished writing my song and…" Demyx stopped talking when he realized the sad look on Luxord's face._

"_Luxord…what's wrong?"_

"_Demyx…Zexion…he's…"_

"_What's wrong with Zexion? Is he hurt? Where is he?!" Demyx asked as he started to become panicked. He feared the worst and looked at Luxord as if he hoped for better news._

"_Late last night…the Superior sent him out on a mission against the Keyblade wielder…" Luxord trailed off, not wanting to go on._

"_What?! Why didn't he tell me?! He could have at least said goodbye!"_

"_He…he thought it would be too hard…he didn't want to say goodbye because he knew he…knew he might not come back…I'm sorry Demyx…but …Zexion's gone…" Luxord said quietly and he winced at his last statement. Although Demyx hadn't spoken, he could practically feel the boys heart breaking…that is…if they even had hearts…_

_Demyx's sitar dropped to the ground with an echoing thud as he took in what Luxord had just told him. Zexion was gone. __**His **__Zexion had gone to a place where he would never be able to find him. The man that he had liked, no, loved so much had been taken from him in the blink of an eye. Demyx fell to his knees as tears started to roll down his face. Demyx knew his life would be forever changed. The love of his life was gone… was nothing more than a non-existent being to the rest of the worlds._

_End Flashback_

It had been nearly a year since Zexion had died. Nearly two years since Demyx had realized he was in love with him…nearly two years since they had spent their first and last Christmas together and even shared their first kiss. A kiss that brought back the memories of a feeling that no one could give him besides the man he still loved. Demyx subconsciously plucked the strings of his sitar and looked up to the darkened sky. It was impossible to tell the time of day by the sky. It was always shrouded in darkness and the world itself was flooded with cold, stinging water droplets. The odd thing was that Demyx could no longer feel them anymore. He had become completely numb. He found that by filling himself with this numbness he didn't have to feel the overwhelming grief that filled his heart. Feeling nothing was better than feeling the pain he felt inside.

'_Even if I died today…even if I __**killed**__ myself…I still wouldn't be able to find you.' _Demyx thought to himself as the rain continued to fall down on him. He knew full well that a Nobody wandered in the dark realm for all eternity when they died. A human on the other hand…

'_A human would go to heaven. Not that they'd let me go there. I've caused too much trouble as a Nobody. I'd be sent straight to hell. I wonder if hell is anything like the dark realm. I bet it's a lot warmer…and at least you can see in hell…' _Demyx thought as he gave a small, bitter laugh at the thought of the darkness that once surrounded him on all sides.

'But this isn't exactly any different, now is it?' Demyx argued with himself acerbically.

"Demyx?" A voice coming from behind him asked quietly. Demyx turned around to see Luxord standing a few feet away wearing a heavy rain coat and holding an umbrella. Demyx nodded in acknowledgement and turned his back to Luxord and continued to play his sitar. The rain continued to pour down as Luxord gave Demyx a concerned look.

"You should come inside before you catch a cold." Luxord said as Demyx continued to play with his back turned to him.

"What's the point? I've been out here so long that even if I did come in I'd probably get sick anyway."

"Well then you should at least put on a rain coat."

"…I bet he's scared…"

"What?"

"Zexion I mean. He's always been afraid of the dark. I remember one night the power went out in the castle. When I went to go to bed I found Zexion curled up in it. When I asked him what was wrong he reluctantly told me that he was afraid of the dark and my room was the only place that made him feel safe. That was the first night we slept in the same bed together now that I think about it. And now he's stuck, wondering alone in the dark…he must be terrified…"Demyx said as his voice cracked and his eyes started watering with tears that threatened to spill over at any moment. The thought of Zexion being scared and alone while he was completely powerless to stop it was almost too much to bear.

"Stop thinking like that." Luxord growled as Demyx looked over at him in surprise. "That's not the Demyx I know. The Demyx I know always kept our spirits up, even when things looked hopeless. He always told us that we didn't need to kill to obtain a heart because he knew that we already had them."

"Yeah, and that went really well, didn't it?" Demyx said sarcastically. "No one ever believed me…"

"That's not completely true. Zexion didn't show it, but I think that he always believed in you. And I know he expects you to do the same for him. Even though he's in the dark realm, lost in never ending darkness, I know he's still looking for you, and you have to keep believing that you'll find him one day. And I hope that you find him soon. The point is, that if you believe you can find him, you will. That's what you always told us, and I know you still think that way deep down." Luxord said as he walked away. As he looked up to the sky, he smiled slightly. He noted that the rain wasn't falling quite as heavily and the sky looked a little brighter. Maybe there was hope after all.

One week later…

It was Christmas Eve and everyone in the house was busy doing last minute Christmas shopping or decorating the house. Suddenly, the computer started beeping, signaling that there was a Nobody nearby. Riku looked at the screen and his eyes widened slightly.

"Sora! Go get Axel and Roxas. I think we found him." Riku yelled to Sora from the other room. Sora ran to get Axel and Roxas and told them the news. Axel ran to the computer while Roxas ran to get Luxord.

Once they were all in the same room, they stared at the computer screen intently. The small dot on the screen was standing still.

"He's in the exact same spot we found Demyx." Riku observed as he watched the screen carefully.

"Then what are we waiting for?! Lets go get him!" Axel said impatiently as he started towards the door. The was probably the only chance they would have to get Zexion back, so they needed to act quickly.

"I'll go get Demyx. You guys go get Zexion and I'll meet you over there as fast as I can." Axel said as he ran through the door.

The others ran to the waterfall where they had found Demyx as fast as they could. When they knew they were at the right location, they opened a dark portal and looked inside. Inside they found a small, almost feminine looking figure curled up with his chin resting on his knees. The look in the boy's eyes was heart breaking. He looked so lost and scared. He looked lonely and heartbroken…

"Damn…Demyx was right…" Luxord whispered a he started to feel sorry for the Cloaked Schemer.

"Zexion!" Roxas called out as he reached a hand into the dark portal. The boy didn't so much as flinch at the voice. It seemed like he couldn't even hear them, but that was impossible.

"Why isn't he responding?" Roxas asked. He looked down at Zexion and caught a glimpse of the boys face for the first time and was shocked by what he saw. Zexions eyes looked they had lost all life and hope. It was like he had given up on finding Demyx. It was like looking at a corpse. Roxas, Sora, and Riku called out to Zexion several more times and still got no response.

"I'll get him. I'll just have to reach in there and grab him. The only one that's going to be able to snap him out of this is Demyx." Luxord said as he came closer to the dark portal. He stretched out his arms and picked up Zexion, still getting no reaction from the boy. Luxord lifted the petite figure out of the dark portal and immediately noticed that the slate haired boy was shaking. That was the only response they had gotten from Zexion that showed he might know what was going on, although he still didn't seem aware of his surroundings. Luxord sat Zexion down on one of the few dry spots of ground in the area. Zexion remained curled up in a ball, completely motionless, until he heard the one voice that could always make things right.

"Zexion?" Demyx nearly whispered as his eyes widened. Zexion looked up and he suddenly looked alive again. He looked to the direction of the voice to see a teary-eyed Demyx staring at him. Zexions eyes widened as he stood up shakily. It seemed like gravity was trying to pull him back down. Before he realized what he was doing, he was running towards Demyx at full speed. He ran straight into Demyx's arms, where he was tightly embraced and kissed passionately. It was minutes before the two separated.

"Where were you?" Zexion whispered desperately in Demyx's ear as he held the other close.

"I was in the dark realm for a long time, but Sora and the others got me out of there." Demyx whispered back.

"I looked for you. I searched so hard but I never found you. Even when I thought I was so close…you weren't there. I just gave up…I didn't know what to do…I was so sure you were going to be there, and then you weren't. I was so scared." Zexion sobbed as he buried his face into Demyx's shoulder.

"Shhh…Zexion, it's okay now. Please stop crying, you know I can't stand that. I never stopped looking for you either. I never thought I'd see you again…I love you Zexion." Demyx said as he lifted Zexion's chin and wiped the tears away.

"I love you too." Zexion said quietly as he gave a small smile before reaching up and planting a gentle kiss on Demyx's lips. The sun suddenly broke through the dark clouds, indicating that their time of grief was over.

Later that night, after everything had been explained to Zexion, Demyx led his boyfriend by the hand out to the front porch, holding his sitar in the other.

"What are we doing out here?" Zexion asked his lover curiously.

"Well…there's this song that I want to play for you. I started writing it two years ago and I was going to play if for you last Christmas, but you were already gone by then…"

Demyx trailed off as he sat down on the porch steps and made sure his sitar was tuned properly. Zexion sat on the step and waited patiently.

"Okay…here it goes…" Demyx said nervously as he cleared his throat. This song was probably the most personal song he had ever performed in front of anyone.

_Hey there Delilah_

_What's it like in New York City?_

_I'm a thousand miles away_

_But girl tonight you look so pretty_

_Yes you do_

_Times Square can't shine as bright as you_

_I swear it's true _

_Hey there Delilah_

_Don't you worry about the distance_

_I'm right there if you get lonely_

_Give this song another listen_

_Close your eyes_

_Listen to my voice it's my disguise_

_I'm by your side_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_What you do to me_

_Hey there Delilah_

_I know times are getting hard_

_But just believe me girl_

_Someday I'll pay the bills with this guitar_

_We'll have it good_

_We'll have the life we knew we would_

_My word is good_

_Hey there Delilah_

_I've got so much left to say_

_If every simple song I wrote to you_

_Would take your breath away_

_I'd write it all_

_Even more in love with me you'd fall_

_We'd have it all_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_A thousand miles seems pretty far_

_But they've got planes and trains and cars_

_I'd walk to you if I had no other way_

_Our friends would all make fun of us_

_and we'll just laugh along because we know_

_That none of them have felt this way_

_Delilah I can promise you_

_That by the time we get through_

_The world will never ever be the same_

_And you're to blame_

_Hey there Delilah_

_You be good and don't you miss me_

_Two more years and you'll be done with school_

_And I'll be making history like I do_

_You know it's all because of you_

_We can do whatever we want to_

_Hey there Delilah here's to you_

_This ones for you_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_Oh it's what you do to me_

_What you do to me._

_Oh oh_

_OoooohhhhOh_

_ ohOoooooohhhhhOh_

_ OhOoooohhhh_

_Ooo0ooohhhhhOh Oh _

By the end of the song, Zexion was in tears. The song Demyx had played for him was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever done for him.

"Jeez…it wasn't that bad was it?" Demyx said jokingly as he scratched the back of his head.

"No…that was the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me…I loved it." Zexion said as he wiped the tears out of his eyes.

"Well I hope you love me more than you love the song." Demyx said as he grinned at Zexion.

"Of course." Zexion chuckled as he looked up and smiled. "Look Demyx, mistletoe." Demyx looked up and smiled at the sight.

"Well what do you know, it's just like the first time we kissed." Demyx said as he leaned in and planted a deep, loving kiss on Zexion's lips. He then grabbed his hand, leading him to his, no, _their _room, where Demyx knew he would make love to his slate haired angel. He also knew that from now on, no matter what hardships they faced in the future, they would endure them together.

Authors Note: Hope you guys liked this chapter. I worked really hard on it!!Please review!!I love feedback. Anyway, the whole thing with Zexion's book, I don't know what it does exactly but it's a fanfic, so I can make it up as I go.:) Xemnas and Sephiroth will be in the next chapter!!So make sure you don't miss it.


	4. Finding Xemnas

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon,soriku,zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club.lol.i'm horrible. :D

Genre: Romance/humor/angst

Rating: T (possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: language,shounen-ai,and yaoi. 'nuff said.

Author's Note: Yeah, I'm back with chapter 4. You guys finally get to see Xemnas and Sephi!! Enjoy!! There is a slight mention of yuri in this chapter, but don't get too excited. I DO NOT WRITE YURI!! I'm only adding a slight mention of it for my friend Natalie. I don't have a problem with two girls being together, I just don't feel comfortable writing it because I'm not attracted to women. I was actually surprised cuz making a Yuri couple actually helped me make Xemnas' sexuality VERY clear. Anyway, sorry for the interruption, enjoy chapter 4:)

The cool wind blew through the trees, making the leaves rustle. Flower petals flew through the air and covered the ground, signifying that spring was on its way. The birds sang and twittered about happily without a care in the world. Life seemed to be going good for everyone, including Sora and the others. They no longer had to worry about the Heartless, or anyone trying to open Kingdom Hearts, all was peaceful. The life they led now was like paradise compared to where they had come from. Life had become so easy for them and everyone seemed to be a lot happier than when their journey first started. The only thing that anyone really worried about anymore was rebuilding Radiant Garden, which was going amazingly well. Leon and Cloud were currently showing Sora, Riku, Axel, and Roxas the area of the Bailey that they had worked so hard to repair after they Heartless had destroyed it. It had taken a lot of hard work and dedication on Leon and Cloud's part, but now they were done and they wanted to show off their good work.

"Damn. This place looks amazing." Riku commented as he looked around. Leon and Cloud's work really was impressive.

"Yeah, well it wasn't easy. It took us days just to get rid of all the rubble those Heartless left behind after they destroyed the place." Leon grunted as he grabbed Cloud's hand. They smiled at each other. They had dedicated nearly all of their time to defeating the Heartless and repairing Radiant Garden, and now it was finally paying off.

"Hey, you left the Castle Gates and the area behind it open. Wasn't there a wall there before?" Sora asked as he looked out towards the horizon. He walked over to the nearest cliff and sat near its edge.

"Yeah. We decided to leave it open. They area back there is really pretty and we thought it would be a waste to close it back up again." Cloud said hand in hand with Leon, a few feet from Sora and Riku.

"Yeah, bet it's a great make out spot for you two." Axel said under his breath with a smirk.

"Axel…" Roxas scolded gently as he elbowed his boyfriend in the side.

"What?! It's true!" Axel argued as he pointed at Leon and Cloud, who had both turned bright red. Cloud cleared his throat loudly.

"Well…it's a nice place to be if you need time to think about things and-

"And make out with your boyfriend and possibly even more intimate things." Axel said playfully as he interrupted Cloud in mid-sentence.

"Axel!" Roxas said as he elbowed Axel in the side a little harder in an attempt to make him shut up.

"That's none of your business Axel, so I would-

"Uh…guys…I think we have a problem…" Sora interrupted in the middle of Leon's threat.

"What's the problem?" Leon asked curiously.

"I think there's someone at the bottom of this cliff…and they're not moving…" Sora said fearfully as he looked down with wide blue eyes.

"What?! Are you serious!!" Leon said as he ran over to the cliffs edge. Sure enough, he could barely make out the figure of the motionless being.

"Is it anyone we know?" Cloud asked in concern as he walked over to the cliffs edge as well.

"No, I don't think so. It looks like they're wearing all black and have silver hair, but we're too far away to be able to tell for sure. Come on, we better go get whoever's down there."

Leon said as he started down the path that led to the bottom of the cliff. Riku, Sora, and Cloud followed behind him. Axel and Roxas' breath hitched slightly. No words were exchanged between the two, but they were both thinking the same thing as they ran to catch up with the others.

'Wearing all black…silver hair…Xemnas…but that's impossible. He's trapped in the dark realm…right?'

As they ran down the path, the person at the bottom of the cliff started coming into view. It seemed that Leon's speculation about this persons' appearance were correct, and that Axel and Roxas' fears were ignited when they came closer to the figure who was clearly a male. Lying before them was an unconscious Xemnas. Axel, Roxas, Sora, and Riku's eyes widened as they recognized the man immediately. Leon, not seeing their reaction, walked over to Xemnas and kneeled next to him to check for a pulse.

"…Is he dead?" Axel asked uncertainly as he blinked several times to make sure that Xemnas was really there.

"No, he's breathing. Though he might be suffering from a concussion or memory loss." Leon noted as he observed the rather large bump on the silver haired mans head. "Rock slides happen every once in a while around here, he must have gotten hit during one." Leon said as he noticed several large rocks on the ground around them.

"Damn, I was hoping for better news." Axel said in mock disappointment.

"Axel!" Roxas said as he hit Axel in the back of the head.

"What?! He's alive, and that means that we're going to have to deal with him. He's a pain in the ass! His name even implies it!" Axel said as he pointed down at the unconscious man. Xemnas looked pitiful. He had swirly eyes, a large bump on his head that had to hurt like a bitch, and was drooling slightly. If this had happened under different circumstances, it might have actually been funny.

"Someone you know?" Cloud asked curiously.

"Yeah…Xemnas…he's kind of the leader of Organization XIII…or was anyway…" Roxas explained as he looked down at the man who used to have so much control over them.

"Yeah, and a pain in the ass to get rid of." Sora said as Riku nodded in agreement. It hadn't been that long ago that they had fought Xemnas and defeated him.

"What did you mean when you said his name implies that he's a pain in the ass?" Leon asked in curiosity.

"Rearrange the letters in his name and you get Mansex." Axel said nonchalantly.

"…Wow…"

"The better question is, how the hell did he get here?" Roxas asked. Everyone fell silent as they pondered this question.

"That is a good question. Since he was stuck in the dark realm, it doesn't seem too likely that he figured out how to get out on his own, does it?" Leon said. Sora pulled out the hand held tracking device that they had used not too long ago to track Nobodies.

"What are you doing with that?" Cloud asked as he looked over Sora's shoulder.

"This thing can show us if a dark portal has been opened around here recently." Sora said as he looked at the screen and pressed a few buttons. His eyes widened slightly as the small machine beeped rapidly at him. "It looks like there was a rip in the dark realm…it must have caused a dark portal to open. Xemnas must have accidentally run into it and wound up here…only to get hit on the head with a big rock."

"Well, now the question is why there was a rip in the dark realm." Axel said.

"Or who or what caused it?" Roxas said in reply.

"Guys, I think we're going to have to worry about that later. We need to get this guy to Aerith, she'll be able to heal his wounds." Leon said as he picked Xemnas up.

At the house…

Leon ran into the house looking for Aerith. On the way to Aerith's room, they ran into Saix, Marluxia, Demyx, Zexion, and Luxord. They all carried the same surprised expression when they saw who Leon was carrying in his arms.

"How-

"We'll explain later. We have to let Aerith take a look at him first." Leon said as he shifted the body in his hands so he could knock of Aerith's bedroom door. Aerith opened the door with a smile on her face, which quickly turned to worry when she saw the man in Leon's arms.

"Oh dear…who is this man and what happened to him?!" Aerith said as she gently examined the bump on Xemnas' head.

"His name is Xemnas. He used to be the leader of Organization XIII. We found him around the Castle Gates. We think a rock might have hit him on the head pretty hard in a rock slide." Leon said as he watched Aerith examine the beaten up man.

"I see. There's an empty room a couple doors down. Lets take him in there." Aerith said as she led the way to the room she was speaking of.

An hour later…

Everyone was waiting in the living room when Aerith came out of the room she had been examining Xemnas in. Everyone looked up, waiting for what news she had to offer them.

"Well, it looks like your friend will be okay. He's got a lot of cuts and bruised, but besides that, I think he'll be fine. That bump on his head shouldn't be a problem." Aerith said with a pleased smile. She was glad that the man was okay because she hated having to deliver bad news.

"Damn. I was hoping he'd have severe memory loss so he could just start over." Axel stated with a sigh. He really didn't feel like dealing with Xemnas and his ego.

"Axel! Stop it!" Roxas said as he rolled his eyes and hit Axels' arm lightly.

"Is there something wrong?" Aerith asked as her brow furrowed in concern.

"Well you see, Xemnas is kind of a pain in the ass, so the next few months should be interesting." Axel said as his fellow Organization members nodded in agreement.

"…I see. Well, why don't we go sit in his room and talk about what's happening in the dark realm while we wait for him to wake up. Wouldn't want Xemnas to wake up and not have any familiar faces around him, now would we?" Aerith said with a sweet smile as she walked back into the room where her patient was now resting.

Later in Xemnas' room…

"Wow, now this is just weird. Why the hell would the dark realm rip? I thought that place was nearly indestructible." Demyx said as he thought carefully.

"Or why someone would want to open it." Riku said in a serious tone. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"You really think that someone intentionally opened up the dark realm?" Demyx asked, his face etched with worry.

"Or something." Leon interjected. "They obviously had a hard time doing it though, since it caused such a violent rip. They couldn't keep it open for very long. When we got there, it had been opened very recently. It must have closed up right after Xemnas fell out of it. Now the question is what that person's intentions were when they opened it."

"They couldn't have been good. Nothing good could come out of opening that horrible place…except the seven that we got out of there of course." Sora said, ending his serious note with a hint of playfulness as he cocked his head and smiled at the seven men that were once considered his enemies.

"I think Sora's right. We might want to consider preparing ourselves for another battle." Saix said with authority laced in his voice.

"Hold on a minute. Lets not take it that far just yet. I think we should keep our guards up and watch out for anything that looks suspicious." Leon said. He was once the same way, feeling that he should rush into battle at the first sign of danger, but years of fighting the Heartless had shown him that you had to take it slowly and investigate first. Everyone nodded in agreement, realizing that this was the better option. All members of the household had been listening intently for the past hour or so, except for one person.

This household member happened to be Sephiroth. He had only been half listening to the conversation taking place. He had more important things to worry about, such as the man lying on the bed about ten feet away. Xemnas was lying in the bed with an icepack on his head, looking content and peaceful. Aerith had taken his cloak off to wash it, and now Sephiroth could only guess that the man before him was only wearing boxers. The blanket that had been covering him had slid down slightly, exposing well toned, tan arms and slightly showed off a tanned chest, teasing its current onlooker, although he wouldn't admit it.

'This man is…interesting…' Sephiroth said to himself as he continued to gaze at the smooth, tan skin that he knew must have been flawless when it wasn't covered in cuts and bruises. He also noticed that the man's hair was much different that his, though almost the same in color. It was slightly darker, looking right on the body of the tanned man. It was also shorter and messier, unlike his, which was long and always looked perfect no matter what he did with it. As Sephiroth continued to observe the man, he stirred. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow as Xemnas screwed his eyes shut at the bright lights and then opened them slowly. He looked as if he were still in a dreamy state.

'Where am I?' Xemnas asked himself as he looked around sleepily at the unfamiliar surroundings. He had never seen this place before.

'Is this what they call heaven?' Xemnas thought. He had heard humans talk about it enough, though he had imagined heaven to be much different than this. 'This is ridiculous. I can't be in heaven, I was in the dark realm the last time I checked so-

Xemnas stopped his train of thought when he heard a voice that sounded identical to that of the Keyblade wielders. Xemnas looked to the direction of the voice and saw several pairs of eyes staring at him. His eyes widened slightly.

'So I must be in hell…' Xemnas thought as he looked around and noticed that he saw half of his Organization, the Keyblade wielder and his boyfriend, and about a half a dozen faces he didn't recognize. Xemnas groaned at the sight and sat up as best he could.

"Hehe…lookie, he's awake." Axel said with a smirk as he walked over to the bed. Xemnas eyed him carefully.

"Number eight, what's the meaning of this?" Xemnas said with as much authority as he could muster in his current condition. His efforts proved to be worthless, seeing as this only made Axel's smirk larger.

"We found you near the Castle Gates with a big bump on your head. Not quite sure how you got here, but none the less, you're here and now we've got to put up with the oh so scary Mansex." Axel said sarcastically, knowing for once that Xemnas was too helpless to do anything about it.

"You will address me with respect number eight!" Xemnas said as he raised his voice. Oh what he'd do to that arrogant red head right now if he wasn't sore all over and his head wasn't spinning.

"Yeah, about that. You can't address me as number eight anymore. You have to call me by my real name. Do you even remember what it is? It's Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?" Axel said. Xemnas twitched at the annoying catch phrase that the red head was known for using.

"You have some nerve number eight. As long as you are in my Organization, you are to obey my orders and address me as your Superior!" Xemnas said in a low, harsh whisper, feeling his anger welling inside of him. This particular Organization XIII member seemed to think that he could do whatever he pleased when he was in a weak state.

"Ha! What Organization?! Sora defeated us, remember? You don't have any right to call me or any other past Organization members by our numbers anymore and you don't have any right to be called the Superior! You're not even a Nobody now!" Axel blurted out angrily. Xemnas' anger quickly dissipated into confusion as he slowly turned his head to get a better look at Axel. That last sentence had puzzled him and by the look on number eight's face, he could tell that the man was completely serious.

"You'll have to explain that last part a little better number eight." Xemnas said slowly as he continued to gaze at Axel.

"Well you see Xemnas, when a Nobody gets yanked out of the dark realm like you and the rest of us were, you come out and you aren't completely the same." Axel said as he dug a pocket knife out of his jeans and flicked it open. The metal glinted off of the light in the room as Xemnas eyed it with no real fear. If number eight was trying to intimidate him with something as simple as a pocket knife, it wasn't going to work.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, you're a human now." Axel said as he quickly grabbed Xemnas' arm and nicked it with his pocket knife. A trail of blood started running down the tan arm as amber eyes widened in surprise and fascination. He watched for a few more seconds before ripping his eyes away from the sight to look back up at Axel.

"But how-

"Get comfortable. This could take a while." Axel said as he sat down on a stool near Xemnas' bed.

Axel started from the very beginning while the others interjected along they way. The story started with Sora's guilt about taking Roxas' free will and ended with finding Xemnas at the bottom of a cliff. After everything had been explained, it was hard to tell whether Xemnas understood or if he was even more confused than he started.

"So there you have it. Now you're stuck here with us." Axel said with a smirk. Yuffie suddenly appeared in front of Xemnas, landing lightly on the bed.

"Yeah, and you have to follow all the house rules just like the rest of us now." Yuffie said with a grin as she poked Xemnas on the forehead. Xemnas growled in annoyance and discomfort at the touch. Even a small touch such as the one this girl was using made his head hurt immensely.

"And just who are you?" Xemnas said in his stern voice. The girl didn't seem bothered by this as she grinned at him.

"Me? I'm the great ninja Yuffie of course! You better behave or else I might have to use my amazing ninja skills on you!" Yuffie said with a huge grin. Xemnas' face on the hand was emotionless as he raised an eyebrow at this supposedly "great ninja."

'Great, just what I need. A hyperactive female ninja.' Xemnas thought to himself as he grunted in dissatisfaction. The young ninja was currently petting him, claiming that his hair was the softest thing she had ever felt. Oh what he would do to these people once he regained his strength. Just then, the door opened. Everyone looked up to see a woman with dark hair and brown eyes standing in the doorway. Xemnas noticed that the ninja who had been petting him had stopped and was now staring at the female in the doorway with wide eyes.

"Hey guys. Sorry it too so long for me to get here. It's a pain trying to close down the bar in the middle of the day, but I'm here now, so what's-

The young woman was cut off by a dark haired blur tackling her to the floor.

"Tifa!" Yuffie yelled enthusiastically as she hugged the other woman tightly. Tifa grunted as she tried to sit up and hug Yuffie at the same time.

'Great, more women. And this one has huge boobs!' Xemnas said to himself as he twitched at the sight of the large breasts. He had never liked women's breasts, especially the particularly large ones. He looked over at the Keyblade wielder, noting that he must have been rather afraid of them too, seeing as he was hiding behind his silver haired lover and eying them warily. His eye was twitching and Riku was sporting a large sweat drop. Xemnas turned to look back at the two women and noticed that they were extremely friendly with one another…a little too friendly…

'They must be together.' Xemnas decided. He didn't mind, and he certainly wasn't attracted in the least. The thought of two women being together, or just the thought of women in general, had never been something that had appealed to him. The two women were standing now. The younger of the two was talking animatedly about something while the other just smiled and listened. Yuffie suddenly turned towards Xemnas again and was suddenly standing over him.

"And he's got the softest hair. I think it might be even softer that Sephi's." Yuffie said in fascination as she continued petting him. She tugged at his hair ever so often, causing a jolt of pain to run through his already hurting head. He winced and growled at the girl as he turned to glare at her. She was about to open her mouth to say something when she was cut off by a deep male voice.

"Leave him be Yuffie. He's obviously injured and needs his rest." Sephiroth said calmly as he gracefully walked up to the bed. Xemnas saw the gorgeous creature walking towards him and wondered how he could have possibly missed him, seeing as he stood out more than anyone else in the room with his flowing silver hair and his beautiful green eyes. Amber eyes met beautiful sea foam green orbs for a few seconds before they ventured to the young ninja. The look in the silver haired beauty's eyes sent chills up his spin. It was like they could see right through you, but the feeling was almost comforting to him. He felt a strange connection with the man the moment he looked into his eyes. Xemnas continued to stare at the nameless silver haired beauty as he spoke, even though his words weren't directed at him.

"Come on monkey. Lets go." Sephiroth said as he lifted the girl over his shoulder with little or no effort.

"Aaaaaawwwwww….but Sephi…I don't wanna go." Yuffie whined as she pouted and crossed her arms. "And I'm not a monkey!"

"You have the tendency to act like one sometimes." Sephiroth said calmly. Yuffie opened her mouth to protest, but one look from Sephiroth told her she shouldn't. After Sephiroth and Yuffie left the room, everything fell silent. Aerith decided to change this and cleared her throat. Everyone turned their heads to look at her curiously.

"I'll start making dinner. You all must be getting hungry. I'll send someone up with dinner when it's ready." Aerith said as she nodded to Xemnas and walked out of the room.

Two hours later….

"Eat it."

"No."

"Eat it!"

"No!"

"Eat it before I have to force feed you!"

"Touch me number eight and you die."

"Fine! Starve to death for all I care!" Axel yelled as he slammed the spoon back down on the tray and stormed out of the room. While he was storming down the hall, he bumped into Sephiroth. Sephiroth turned swiftly to eye Axel and noticed that the other man hadn't even noticed the collision as he continued to stomp and grumble down the hall with a small fireball in his hand, most likely going to burn something as a way to calm himself down. Sephiroth wondered what could have caused such a sudden spurt of anger from the fiery red head, (not that he didn't have a short temper to begin with) but Sephiroth had a feeling he already knew. Sephiroth walked briskly down the hall into the room that now contained Xemnas. He came in to see the amber eyed man laying down and staring at the ceiling with that frown that always seemed to be etched on his face. He heard Sephiroth come in and looked over at him and sat up.

"I suppose they decided to bring someone else in to try to force feed me." Xemnas said in his low voice as he gave Sephiroth a smirk. Sephiroth didn't seem bothered by this in the least as he walked over to the bed quietly. Xemnas observed that the man must have been quite a bit taller than him. If he had the energy to stand, which he didn't in his current condition, he would be able to get a better look at the silver haired man.

"No. Just observing I suppose." Sephiroth said with no emotion in his face or voice. Xemnas nodded slowly as he turned his head towards the window beside his bed. He would never admit it, but the gorgeous man intimidated him with his emotionless stare. "But you should eat, if you want to make a full recovery that is." Sephiroth added with no particular interest, as if he didn't care whether or not Xemnas lived to see tomorrow.

Xemnas gave a short laugh that was more like a cackle as he continued to stare out the window. "It doesn't matter. Once I recover most of my energy I'm leaving. I refuse to stay in this house with those people." Xemnas said as he watched water drops fall down his darkened window. It reminded him severely of the World That Never Was and it caused a pang in his chest from something that felt a little like regret, but he pushed it aside and chose to forget about it.

"And just how do you expect to do that?" Sephiroth asked. Xemnas turned to look up at Sephiroth and realized that he wasn't even looking at him, but out the window like he had been moments ago. "You have nowhere to go and if you don't eat, you'll just wind up in an even weaker state than you are now." Xemnas looked down at his hands, realizing that the other man was right. He had nowhere to go and no way to even get out of the world that he was in since he couldn't use dark portals anymore.

"Still not eating?" Sephiroth asked, still not looking at Xemnas.

"I'm not all that hungry." Xemnas said. At that moment, his stomach decided to betray him by growling loudly. Xemnas looked down at his hands again when he felt himself turn pink from embarrassment. He heard feet shuffling and looked up to find sea foam green eyes only inches away from him.

'How the hell did he get here so fast?' Xemnas asked himself as he felt his body tense and his face heat up under the gaze of the beautiful man before him. Sephiroth leaned in, whispering in Xemnas' ear.

"Better think things through before you go and do them and make sure that people can't see through your lies." Sephiroth said quietly as he quickly grabbed the spoon and shoved it in Xemnas' mouth before he could do anything to stop him. Xemnas blinked a few times, trying to figure out what had just happened. Then he actually started to taste the food in his mouth started chewing it. He came to the conclusion that it was probably some of the best food he had ever had. Xemnas soon forgot all about his pride and grabbed the tray and began eating quickly. Sephiroth gave him a smirk that almost looked like a smile.

"I'll tell Aerith to bring up seconds." Sephiroth said as he turned to leave when Xemnas stopped eating suddenly.

"Wait. I don't even know your name. I'm guessing that the hyper ninja girl was using an annoying nickname of some sort." Xemnas said as he gazed at the back of the man. He really wanted to know who he was. Sephiroth thought for a moment and remembered that Yuffie had called him Sephi. Gods how he hated it when she called him that. His eye twitched at the thought as he nodded carefully.

"Yes, she does that to be a pest in general. My name is Sephiroth." Sephiroth said as he turned to leave without another word. If anyone had been around to watch, they would have noticed Xemnas' lip pull up slightly, almost turning into a smile.

Sephiroth left the room and walked down the hall. Seconds later, a blonde, spiky haired man popped out of the bathroom located next to Xemnas' room with a smile on his face. Cloud had been listening to and watching Xemnas and Sephiroth's conversation through the door, which had been left cracked open. He had quietly moved to the bathroom when he had sensed Sephiroth coming. He laughed to himself because he knew that Sephiroth didn't take to people very easily and almost never started a conversation with anyone. So seeing him talk to Xemnas so shortly after he arrived was an odd sight. Oh yeah, things were definitely going to get interesting from now on.

Author's Note: Yeah, that's it. I know much didn't happen, but don't worry!! Lots more of the SephixXemmy goodness to come. And about Cloud and Sephiroth, I know that they're supposed to be enemies, but I changed it for the purpose of this fic. Review Please!! That is all.


	5. Mall Excursion

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon, soriku, zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club.lol.i'm horrible. :D

Genre:Romance/humor/angst

Rating:T(possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings:language,shounen-ai,and yaoi. 'nuff said.

Author's Note: Well, here's chapter 5. I hope you guys like it. **THERE IS A BIT OF RELIGIOUS OPINION IN THIS CHAPTER!!I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO BE INSULTED BY IT, I ONLY USED IT FOR THE FANFICS PURPOSE!! **Just thought I'd let you guys know.Enjoy!

* * *

It was a busy weekend in Radiant Garden. People were running about the streets to run their errands or go shopping. It was no different in one particular household, which contained several people who were all trying to get ready at once. Some of them were already ready, while others, such as Marluxia, insisted on staying in the bathroom for at least another thirty minutes. There were also others, well, only Xemnas, who flat out refused to go. Xemnas had never been a sociable man, so the idea of going out with people who he either didn't know or didn't like didn't sound too appealing. It had been three weeks since Xemnas had been found, and those three weeks had been hectic. It had been filled with arguments, which were mostly on Axel and Xemnas' part, and trying to make Xemnas more social, which wasn't going too well. Xemnas just didn't seem too interested in talking to anyone. Cloud, on the other hand, had noticed that there was something going on between Sephiroth and Xemnas, though he couldn't place _what _that something was just yet.

"Come on, you can't tell me that you're not the least bit interested in seeing Radiant Garden." Axel said indignantly. Xemnas had only been with them three weeks and Axel already wanted to strangle him.

"Not really." Xemnas said. He was currently sitting on the couch with his arms crossed. He was trying to make it clear that he wasn't moving.

"You should at least give it a chance!"

"I'm not obligated to do that."

"Obligated my ass!! You're going whether you like it or not!" Axel said as he grabbed the back of Xemnas' cloak and dragged him out of the house. Xemnas still had his arms crossed and was now wearing a pout on his face.

"Don't worry, it won't take long. All we're doing is taking you on a small tour of the town and then we'll come back home." Aerith said reassuringly as she followed the others out the door. Cloud sniggered at Aerith's good acting skills. Aerith was a very honest woman, but when she needed to lie, she could. Cloud wished that Xemnas knew just how untrue Aerith's words were at that moment.

So they all started walking through the town, showing Xemnas different sights and introducing him to several people along the way. By keeping Xemnas busy, he had failed to notice that they had walked up to the best mall in Radiant Garden.

"We're here." Axel said in a sing song voice as he eyed Xemnas, waiting to see his reaction.

"Where are we?" Xemnas asked as he eyed the large building. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like this.

"The mall." Yuffie said simply as she started walking towards the building. Correction, he _knew _he wasn't going to like this. He had heard about malls. He knew that they were overpriced, crowded, and contained hoards of giggly, teenage girls. In other words, a place he wanted nothing to do with.

"I'm not going in there."

"Well sorry buddy, but you're going in there even if it kills you." Axel said with the smirk that had become common in the past few weeks.

"And if I refuse?"

Axel opened his mouth to say something when Sephiroth stepped in front of him. The look on his face told Xemnas that he was not amused.

"You really should stop arguing. Save your breath for things that are a little more complex." Sephiroth said as he lifted Xemnas over his shoulder without any warning. Xemnas yelped at the sudden contact and struggled to free himself from the other mans grasp.

"Put me down immediately!" Xemnas yelled as he continued to struggle in vain. The firm arm wrapped around his waist tightened considerably when he didn't stop struggling. Xemnas decided that he needed to cooperate if he ever wanted his two feet on the ground again and crossed his arms with a scowl on his face. Once inside, Sephiroth sat him down as Xemnas looked at his new surroundings. Just as he suspected, millions of over priced stores that were consumed with way too many people, most of which were teenage girls who were wearing skirts that needed to come down at least three inches.

"Why are we here?" Xemnas asked as he watched people walk by, most of them stopping to stare momentarily at their odd, large group or taking a quick glance.

"You need new clothes." Axel stated simply as he looked around, most likely trying to figure out which stores they should stop by first.

"What's wrong with the ones I have?"

"That cloak of yours? Well first of all, you're going to have a really hard time living off of one cloak. Second, it wouldn't kill you to try to blend in a little. You're human now, and humans don't exactly run around in black cloaks. You already stand out enough as it is with your silver hair and those amber eyes, people are starting to stare."

'_Like people don't stare at you with you're awkwardly lanky figure and you're abnormally spiky, flamboyantly red hair?' _Xemnas thought to himself as he raised an eyebrow at Axel.

"But I don't think all of the attention you're getting is bad. We haven't even been here five minutes and you already have fan girls." Axel said with a smirk as he pointed to a group of girls. Half of them were whispering and glancing at Xemnas, issuing a fit of giggles when they realized he was looking in their direction while the other half of the girls just flat out stared and drooled at him. Xemnas looked them up and down with absolutely no interest. Axel took notice to this and commented on it immediately.

"Or do you prefer fan _boys_, because I think you've got some of those too." Axel said slyly. Xemnas looked in the opposite direction of the fan girls and saw a group of men ranging from their teens to their forties looking him up and down hungrily. Xemnas suddenly became very flustered and turned a deep shade of red.

"That's none of your business!!" Xemnas stammered as he stomped off, Axel laughing loudly as he watched his former Superior.

"Hehe…I think I hit a touchy subject." Axel said as he watched Xemnas storm off.

"Can you try to be nice for once?" Roxas sighed as he looked up at Axel hopefully.

"Hmm…no."

"Thought so."

So everyone continued to walk through the mall, stopping at random stored along the way, one of which happened to be the malls largest candy store. Demyx and Sora were currently inside of it, as well as Zexion and Riku to make sure that their boyfriends didn't spend all of their money on candy or didn't buy so much that they would be literally bouncing off the walls later. All four of them came out of the candy store about fifteen minutes later, Sora and Demyx looking content.

"All of this sugar is going to make you pass out later." Zexion said as he poked Demyx in the stomach. Demyx smiled as turned to wrap his arms around the smaller mans waist.

"Don't worry Zexy, I won't pass out until I have some alone time with you." Demyx said as he ran a hand up and down Zexion's side. Zexion smiled at Demyx's antics and batted the hand rubbing his side away and leaned up to kiss his lover. Demyx responded by kissing back and would have deepened it if he hadn't been so rudely interrupted.

"**SIN!!"**

Demyx and Zexion separated and looked at one another oddly before turning to look for the source of the declaration. A few feet away they saw an old woman with a cane. She was clearly and overly religious woman, seeing as she had numerous crosses hanging from her neck and had a bible in the hand that wasn't clutching the cane with. There was also a teenage girl of about sixteen standing next to her, looking as though the embarrassment she must have been feeling would soon consume her.

"What?" Demyx asked. He seemed very confused, like he had no idea what the old woman was going on about.

"You are a sin against God!!" The old woman said as she pointed a shaking finger at the two. Demyx and Zexion sweatdropped at the old woman's remark. Axel walked over, hand in hand with Roxas.

"What's this old hag going on about?" Axel asked in a bored tone. The old woman caught sight of him and her eyes widened drastically. Axel was definitely what a lot of people would consider a flaming homosexual, which this lady could clearly not handle.

She frantically dug through her purse, finally coming up with a bottle of holy water.

"Sinner!" The old woman screamed as she poured all of the bottles contents on to Axel's head. Axel was twitching and Demyx was practically crying. All he could think of was that that lady had wasted perfectly good water. Axel twitched again and a pleased smirk came to his face when he realized that his hands were still dry. He wriggled his fingers threateningly, about to start a fireball when Roxas stepped behind him and wrapped his arms around Axel's waist.

"No Axel. Burning old women is _not _okay, even if they're mean, over religious homophobes." Roxas said as he laughed nervously and dragged Axel away before he had the chance to cause a scene.

"What the hell was that all about?" Marluxia asked harshly as he eyed the old woman grudgingly. He was the most flamboyantly gay out of all of them and he detested homophobes.

"You've gone against God by loving another man! You'll go straight to hell for your sins!" The old woman shrieked as she pointed a wrinkled finger in Marluxia's face accusingly. Marluxia swatted her hand away in annoyance.

"I'm not going to worship some God that claims I'm going to hell for being in love with another man. Love is beautiful in all forms, so it's ridiculous to praise something that says the form of love I've chosen is wrong."

"You'll go straight to hell for denying God's power! You are all too far gone to be saved!" The old woman yelled as she looked at Marluxia fearfully, as if she thought she would die on the spot for merely being in his presence. Others in the mall were starting to stare at the odd scene, some quietly agreeing with the old woman while others sneered at her ignorance. Sephiroth took a stand, looming high over the old lady in front of him.

"He's right. If a person is happy with their life, they should be allowed to love anyone they choose, and they shouldn't be judged for it, even by this so called God of yours. If he's such a great God, then why does he send people that are too different for his liking to hell? People should be allowed to worship any God they choose, even if theirs is nothing like your own. You should not try to force your religious beliefs on anyone. If you can't see past your own faith, than you are a truly ignorant woman.

"It's the devil reincarnated!!" The old woman screamed. It looked as though she were about to faint and seemed that she had not heard a single word Sephiroth had said.

"The devil reincarnated? That's a new one." Sephiroth said sarcastically. He really should have known better that to bother with the woman, some people were too absorbed in their own world to see anyone else.

"Wait, almost all of you are gay couples? That's so _hot._" The teenage girls said suddenly. Upon these words the old woman fell over, passed out from such words coming from her own flesh and blood.

"Shit, grandma wasn't supposed to hear that." The teenage girl said as she bent down near her grandmother in concern. "Don't worry. I'll be able to convince her it was all just a dream by telling her that she fell asleep while I was shopping. But I'd get out of here before she wakes up and starts one of her religious rants again." The girl said as she waved a hand at them dismissively. Everyone sweat dropped and started walking away slowly. Xemnas took notice to the fact that Sephiroth had begun to walk a bit more aggressively than he had been before the incident with the old woman and became very curious in the sudden change.

"Are there a lot of people like that around here?" Xemnas asked as he walked next to the other man.

"Unfortunately, there are too many in the world to count. If there's one thing I detest, it's people that are so ignorant that they can't except people that are different from them." Sephiroth said gruffly as he walked ahead of Xemnas. Xemnas stayed back, completely surprised by Sephiroth's actions. That was the most emotion he had seen from the other man since he had started living with the others.

_'Apparently there's more to him that I thought.'_ Xemnas thought to himself as he turned to a voice that was calling his name. He saw Axel standing in front of one of the many stores located in the mall.

"C'mon Mansex! We're buying you some new clothes!" Axel shouted as he waved at Xemnas. The amber eyed man twitched at the nickname and stomped into the store with the others.

The inside of the store was chaotic. Everyone was running around either looking for clothes for themselves or looking for clothes for Xemnas. The said man decided to stay out of the mess by staying put near one corner of the store. However, he could not stay safe for long because soon there were several people shoving him into the dressing rooms with clothes, telling him to try certain clothing items on and come out when he was in them. This triggered several arguments about what looked best on him, but there were still others who kept searching for clothes for the stubborn man.

"This is so cute!" Marluxia said as he practically squealed in delight and hugged the article of clothing to his chest.

"Marluxia…darling…no matter how cute you think that skirt is, there's no way in hell you're going to get Xemnas to wear it." Saix said as he looked at his lover skeptically. He loved the man to death, but sometimes he didn't understand his logic.

"Hmm…I suppose you're right." Marluxia said with a pout. He looked at Saix for a moment before his pout turned into a sinister smile. Saix felt a feeling of dread wash over him.

"Marly, why are you looking at me like that?" Saix asked uneasily as he eyed Marluxia suspiciously. Saix knew that that smile meant Marluxia was planning something devious, most likely involving him.

"I may not be able to get Xemnas to try on this skirt, but _you _on the other hand…" Marluxia smiled as he slowly approached Saix.

"No…Marly…darling…baby…please, anything but that!" Saix screamed as he tried to avoid the inevitable. He was suddenly being dragged towards the dressing rooms by the foot. Saix screamed for help the entire time, but no one dared to stand up for him, knowing that if they did so they would only have to take Saix's place.

On the other side of the store, Zexion and Demyx were searching for clothes for Xemnas as well. Zexion was looking through a clothing rack, not finding anything in particularly interesting until his eyes fell on a certain pair of pants. Zexion smiled when he realized that they were Xemnas's size.

"Did you find something Zexy?" Demyx asked as he walked over to the clothing rack Zexion was at. When he saw the pair of pants his boyfriend was looking at, he smiled, having a strong feeling he knew what Zexion was thinking.

"Zexy, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking we definitely need to get Xemnas to try these on." Zexion said as he grabbed the pants in one hand and took Demyx's hand in the other as they hurried over to the dressing rooms. When they got there, Xemnas had just gotten out of the dressing rooms, finally getting a break after all of the madness when Zexion shoved the pair of pants in his hands and pushed him back into the dressing rooms.

"Number six?! What are you doing?!" Xemnas asked, startled by the normally calm man's actions.

"Try those pants on." Zexion said as he leaned against the dressing room door. Zexion heard Xemnas's feet shuffling on the other side of the door as he put he pants on.

"Number six…these pants seem to be a little tight." Xemnas said hesitantly as he zipped up the pants and buttoned them.

"Oh trust me, they're supposed to be like that." Zexion said with a smirk. This statement caught everyone's attention. Everyone knew that Zexion had a way of picking out incredibly tight, but sexy pants.

"Do you have them on?" Zexion asked as he knocked on the dressing room door.

"Yes…"

"Well then come out so we can see them."

"That's not going to happen Number six."

"And why not?"

"Because I look ridiculous."

"Let me be the judge of that."

"I'm still not coming out with these pants on."

"Well then I guess we're going to have to do this the hard way." Zexion said as he got on the floor and climbed under the dressing room door.

"Number six?! Why are you climbing under the door?! This is an invasion of privacy!" Xemnas shrieked as Zexion stood up.

"Seeing how those pants look on you since you refused to come out yourself. Now let me take a good look at you." Zexion said as he looked Xemnas up and down. Zexion nodded and muttered something under his breath before addressing Xemnas again.

"Now let me see them from the back." Zexion said as Xemnas turned around hesitantly. Zexion looked Xemnas up and down again and smiled to himself.

"I don't know why you won't let everyone see these. They look amazing on you."

"That's a lie."

"No, it's not. Now let everyone see."

"Absolutely not!"

"Well I suppose I'll have to make you then."

"Number six, what do you think you're-

Zexion unlocked the dressing room door and pushed it wide open. Xemnas tried to hide behind Zexion, which proved to be useless considering Zexion was much shorter than him. Zexion sighed and grabbed Xemnas's shoulder, shoving him out the door. Xemnas squeaked in surprise, finding to be the smaller man to be much stronger than he looked as he practically flew out of the door. He immediately became very uncomfortable when he realized that several pairs of eyes were locked onto him. Everyone was surprised to see just how good Xemnas looked in those pants. It was like they were made for him. Zexion had found a pair of tight, black jeans that looked perfect on the amber eyed man. They hugged him in all the right places and brought out how unusually curvy he was for a man. This didn't go unnoticed, especially by Sephiroth, who was currently eyeing Xemnas, looking him up and down several times.

"_Damn_." Axel said, clearly surprised to find out how good Xemnas looked in the tight jean material.

"Now let them see it from the back." Zexion said as he forced Xemnas to turn around by grabbing his shoulders again, forcing him to show his backside to an eager audience. This triggered several whistles as Xemnas turned red. Sephiroth blushed slightly as his eyes fell to Xemnas's ass, making him get an odd feeling in his lower regions.

_'Oh no…that did **not** just happen.'_ Sephiroth thought as he ripped his eyes away from the sight to prevent his arousal from getting any bigger. He was met by a pair of blue eyes that belonged to no other that Cloud Strife. Sephiroth looked at the blonde and realized that he was smiling at him. A smile that Sephiroth didn't like. A smile that said "I know something that you don't."

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sephiroth asked, a clueless look etched on his face. This only caused Cloud's grin to widen.

"So _that's _what's going on between you two." Cloud said as he laughed to himself.

"Between me and who?" Sephiroth asked as he stared at Cloud blankly. He really had no idea what the blonde was going on about.

"Oh no one Sephiroth, no one at all." Cloud said with a snicker as he turned his attention back to the others. Sephiroth gave him a final puzzled look before doing the same.

"We should definitely buy these for you." Zexion said to Xemnas.

"Absolutely not."

"Why not?"

"Because I look ridiculous in them."

"No you don't."

"The answers still no."

"Aw, c'mon Mansex. You've got to buy _something _that looks good on you." Axel interjected.

"Number eight, first of all, stop calling me Mansex! Second of all, I don't think these pants-

"Now get in there and take them off so we can pay for them." Axel said as he shoved Xemnas into the dressing room, not listening to a word the other had said.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Cloud observed Xemnas and Sephiroth's behavior around each other, doing anything he could to get them around each other without making it look suspicious. Of course, Cloud had told the others about his theory on Xemnas and Sephiroth's developing relationship, even though some of them were reluctant to believe it. But none the less, everyone did what they could to help, eager to see the proof themselves.

The first thing that they did was make sure that Sephiroth and Xemnas were sitting across from each other at dinner. Everyone took notice to the fact that one of them would stare at the other, quickly looking away when the other looked up. Then they tried making sure that they sat next to each other and noticed that both seemed to be afraid of even glancing at the other. Cloud and the others were currently discussing the issue.

"So when you were talking to Sephi about it at the mall, he seemed totally clueless?" Yuffie asked Cloud with wide, curious eyes. She had always thought that Sephiroth needed someone, and the idea that he might actually be interested in someone that could have mutual feelings was a bit exciting.

"Yeah, pretty much. It was like he had no idea what I was talking about."

"Ya' think he was faking it?" Cid asked as he pulled out a cigarette. He was about to light it when Aerith grabbed it from him, reminding him for at least the billionth time that there was no smoking in the house.

"No, I think he was genuinely confused."

"If only there were some way to get them together so that they thought they were alone…but they weren't _really_ alone because there was someone following them around, watching their every move and listening to every word that came out of their mouths." Sora said, giving Axel a very good idea.

"I think there just might be a way to do that." Axel said with a sly grin.

"Really?" Sora asked curiously, wondering what Axel could be planning.

"Aerith, the grocery shopping is supposed to be done today, isn't it?" Axel asked as he picked up the to do list that Aerith made every week.

"Yes, but Cloud and Leon are supposed to do that today, it says that on the list." Aerith said, confused and wondering why her list had anything to do with Xemnas or Sephiroth.

"Hehe…not anymore." Axel said as he held the paper in one hand and burned it with the other. Aerith squeaked and her eyes widened as she watched the list she worked so hard on turn into a pile of ashes.

"Don't worry Aerith, I'm making a new one." Axel said as he picked up a pen and a piece of paper and started writing quickly.

"So…why did you burn Aerith's list?" Riku asked curiously as he leaned over Axel's shoulder.

"Well, the way I see it, I can just rewrite the list so that Sephiroth and Xemnas have to do the grocery shopping together. Then Sora and Roxas can follow them around with a camera and take pictures along the way. You guys up for that?" Axel asked, addressing Sora and Roxas as the two nodded eagerly.

"Then go get the camera. I'm about to tell them about their little adventure." Axel said as he watched the two run up the stairs. After he was sure they were out of sight, he called for Xemnas and Sephiroth.

"Hey Xemnas! Sephiroth! Come down here for a minute!" Axel yelled from the foot of the stairs. Moments later both silver haired men emerged from their rooms. Sephiroth walked gracefully down the stairs while Xemnas practically stomped down them, in a bad a mood as ever.

"Hey you two. You guys need to do the grocery shopping today." Axel said as he waved the to do list in their faces. Both raised an eyebrow at him simultaneously, both seeming suspicious, although Xemnas was the first to say anything about it.

"I thought that Leon and Cloud were supposed to do that today." Xemnas said. He had obviously seen the original list.

"Well you see, what happened was I kind of "accidentally" burned the first list, so as punishment, Aerith made me write another one." Axel said with a grin.

"It was an accident huh?" Xemnas said skeptically, having a feeling that Axel never burned anything on accident.

"Yep, completely unintentional."

"So, you guys better get going. You okay with all of this Sephiroth?" Axel asked as he turned to the man in question. Sephiroth turned his gaze to Axel slowly.

"I'm ready to leave whenever he is." Sephiroth said as he shifted his unemotional gaze to Xemnas. Xemnas turned his eyes to Axel, not wanting to gaze into Sephiroth's sea foam green eyes for too long.

"And why do two people need to go grocery shopping? Sephiroth's perfectly capable of doing it himself. He doesn't need me to hold his hand." Xemnas said.

'_But I bet he'd like it if you did.'_ Axel thought with a smirk.

"Eh…buddy system?" Axel said uncertainly, saying the first thing that popped into his head. Xemnas raised an eyebrow at him, not believing a single word.

"A lot of people live in this house. Two people are needed to do the grocery shopping because there are too many bags for one person to carry." Leon interjected, giving a more logical explanation. Xemnas gave a short nod, seeming satisfied with this answer.

"Well then I guess we should leave." Xemnas said as he started walking towards the door, only to be stopped by Zexion.

"Wait a minute, you should change first." Zexion said as he stood in Xemnas's way.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?" Xemnas asked.

"Uh…well…you've been running around in those clothes all day! Don't you want to change?" Zexion asked, trying to convince the hard headed man in front of him.

"Not really, why would I-

"Well lets go get you into some different clothes." Zexion interrupted as he pushed Xemnas up the stairs and back into his room.

"The buddy system Axel? They're not five. I really thought that even _you _could be more creative than that." Leon whispered harshly.

"Shut it Squally!" Axel whispered back harshly.

"Why you-

"Okay, I think Xemnas is ready to leave." Zexion said from the top of the stairs, pulling a reluctant Xemnas with him. Zexion had somehow gotten Xemnas to wear the tight pants he had purchased for him. Sephiroth's eyes widened as he watched Xemnas walk down the stairs, every small movement made more noticeable by the tight jean material that was clinging to his skin.

_'Dear God, anything but those pants._' Sephiroth thought as Xemnas stood next to him.

"Let's go." Sephiroth said as he walked out of the door, Xemnas following behind him. A few minutes later, Sora and Roxas followed behind them, ready to spy.

* * *

Sora and Roxas soon found Xemnas and Sephiroth holding a small conversation. Sora and Roxas remained hidden in the shadows, waiting for the opportune moment to take pictures.

"How do you feel about living in the house?" Sephiroth asked, still seeming bored and uninterested.

"The same way I did before. I don't belong in the same house with those people, especially number eight." Xemnas said as he looked at the grocery list, paying for certain items in the market along the way.

"He's really not all that bad."

"You're kidding, right?" Xemnas said with a snort. In his opinion, number eight was one of the most obnoxious people he had ever met. The only reason he had kept him in the castle was because he was a valuable asset to the Organization.

"Surprisingly, no. He may have a temper and can be too quick to react to his emotions, but…he's loyal and protects what's important to him. That's something the world needs more of, people who would do anything for those they care about…with less of an obsession with fire."

_'Protect what's important to me…'_ Xemnas thought to himself as he looked up at Sephiroth, deep in thought. Just as he was reaching for an apple to put in his basket, Sephiroth did the same, his hand resting on top of Xemnas's. Sora and Roxas saw their opportunity and took the picture as the two blushed and quickly separated. Sephiroth caught the flash from the camera and turned just as Sora pushed Roxas behind a stand to avoid being seen.

"Did you see that?" Sephiroth asked as he continued to gaze at the spot that Sora and Roxas had been standing moments ago.

"See what?" Xemnas asked, still slightly flustered by the small contact with Sephiroth.

"Never mind, lets keep going. We're almost done." Sephiroth said as he continued walking.

Meanwhile, Sora and Roxas were still hiding behind one of the many stands at the market, Sora lying of top of Roxas.

"Jeez Roxas, what were you thinking?! Leaving the flash on like that!" Sora said as he took the camera out of Roxas's hand to see how the picture turned out. He smiled when he realized it was perfect. Roxas had truly captured the intimate moment through his camera lens.

"I'm sorry, I forgot! Don't bite my head off!" Roxas said as he tried to sit up and realized that all of Sora's weight was on top of him, their bodies completely pressed together. Roxas cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably, hoping to get his other half's attention. When he realized that the brunette was completely oblivious to the situation at hand, he knew he was going to have to be more blunt.

"Sora, we're really lucky that Axel and Riku aren't here, because this is a rather compromising position that could provoke their dirty minds." Roxas said as Sora looked down between them and blushed, practically jumping off of Roxas in the process.

"_Roxas! _Stop hanging out with Axel so much, he's turning you into a pervert." Sora said as he stood up and dusted his pants off.

"You think so?" Roxas asked with a laugh as he stood up as well.

"Yeah, I really do. Now let's get going." Sora said as he put the camera in his pocket.

"You don't want to take any more pictures?"

"Nah, the one we got says it all. Besides, Sephiroth said they were almost done shopping, so we better get out of here before he finds out we've been spying." Sora said as he grabbed Roxas's wrist and hurried back to the house.

* * *

The next week went by in a blur. Life had gotten simple again, Xemnas becoming a bit more cooperative and his bond with Sephiroth slowly growing. Everyone had seen the picture and knew that something was up, but decided against trying to get the two together, hoping that things would work out on their own accord. It was the weekend and everyone was bored, so they thought it would be fun to train a little bit. They were still looking out for anything suspicious, even though nothing strange had happened in the near two months since Xemnas had arrived. They hadn't told Xemnas anything, but they still thought that trouble was on the way and that it was somehow all linked to why Xemnas fell out of the dark realm.

Leon and Cloud were currently sparring, giving each other one hell of a challenge, although it looked like they were enjoying it. The others looked on, interested as they watched Cloud and Leon dodge one another, one occasionally taking a hit. Xemnas watched without much interest. He thought that Leon and Cloud were good, but he had seen better fighters in his time. Sephiroth stood next to him with the same look of boredom. He already knew all of Cloud's fighting techniques, and he had seen Leon spar enough with Cloud to know his techniques as well, so this was something he was accustom to seeing. Cloud and Leon finished up their fight, both sweaty and tired as they lay in the grass with one another.

"Damn Cloud, you never slow down, do you?" Leon said as he rolled on his side to face Cloud.

"Would you ever really want me to?" Cloud asked as he rested his head against Leon's chest.

"Hmm…not really." Leon said as he wrapped an arm around his spiky haired lover. They stayed like that for a while until Cloud sat up with a sudden realization.

"Hey Sephiroth, are you going to spar today?" Cloud asked as he looked over at the tall silver haired man. Sephiroth just stared at him silently, as if he were trying to make a decision.

"Do you really expect him to want to Spiky? He's already wiped the floor with all of us…or, most of us, that is…" Axel said as he looked over at Xemnas.

"Oh yeah, it's the first time you've come here with us, isn't it Xemmy?" Yuffie asked as she rolled onto her stomach to face Xemnas. Xemnas immediately twitched at the nickname. He didn't know which he detested more, the ridiculous nickname number eight gave him or the ridiculous nickname the monkey gave him.

"Yeah Mansex, you should give it a try. You might actually have fun with it." Axel said as Xemnas began to twitch even more. Oh yeah, number eight's nickname definitely won out over Yuffie's. Though they _were _right, it was the first time he had come to train with them. All of the other times they had gone Aerith had insisted that he stay home and rest while the house was actually quiet, when Aerith and Cid would be the only other people there.

"You took my weapon away, remember?" Xemnas said as he raised an eyebrow at Axel, remembering how they had hidden his weapon from him because they said it would be "hazardous to his recovery." What they really meant was that they didn't want to have a way to defend himself if he wasn't cooperating or if he tried to run away.

"Oh yeah…I forgot about that. Here ya go." Axel said as he dug the hilt of Xemnas's weapon out of one of his pockets and threw it to him. Xemnas caught it and looked at it in confusion, wondering why number eight would go around with the hilt of his weapon in his back pocket. Xemnas dismissed this and stood up, facing Sephiroth.

"I'm ready if you are." Xemnas said as he looked into the sea foam green eyes, unemotional and uninterested. Sephiroth walked to the field silently, not bothering to draw his sword, silently mocking his opponent by saying "You won't even be enough of a challenge for me to draw my sword." Xemnas summoned his saber, taking a defensive stance while Sephiroth didn't even budge. Axel smirked, knowing that neither men knew what they were getting themselves in to.

Xemnas and Sephiroth stared at each other for a moment, both stepping at the same time and gone in a flash. Both moves so fast that no one was able to read their movements and had no idea what happened between the two in those few seconds. They stood feet apart, Xemnas with his saber still drawn and Sephiroth standing completely motionless. A trickle of blood ran down Sephiroth's face, a drop of blood falling to the dirt beneath him. Surprise flashed in Sephiroth's eyes for a split second before a smirk formed on his lips. It had been a long time since someone had been able to hit him, even longer since someone had been able to hit him on their first try, even if it was just a scratch. He himself had actually missed when he had tried to hit Xemnas, who had narrowly dodged him. Sephiroth and Xemnas turned to face one another, looking into each others eyes and silently challenging the one in front of them. Sephiroth started to draw his sword, standing tall and intimidating. Xemnas watched in fascination as he saw the enormous sword being unsheathed before his very eyes. It glinted in the sun as Sephiroth held it in front of him, ready to attack.

Both moved again, and the next half hour went by in a blur. Both men were trying their hardest, but neither one of them had hit each other once.

'_He actually seems to be enjoying himself.' _Cloud thought as he caught the small smile and glint in Sephiroth's eyes as he nearly flew past him.

In another moment, Sephiroth caught Xemnas with his guard down and pinned him against a tree, holding his sword dangerously close to the shorter man's neck.

"Too slow." Sephiroth whispered in Xemnas's ear. The shorter of the two tensed at the close proximity of the other. They were fully pressed against one another, Xemnas squirming under Sephiroth's weight uncomfortably as he felt his member harden at the contact. Sephiroth didn't even budge as he gazed at the silver haired man he was pressed against. Xemnas was about to speak when something that sounded like and explosion was heard from the other side of Radiant Garden. The vibration from the explosion hit them and they tumbled backwards, knocking Sephiroth back, but he caught himself and only stumbled a few steps. Xemnas, on the other hand, was caught off guard and stumbled forward when Sephiroth's support was gone. Sephiroth stepped forward and caught Xemnas to prevent him from falling flat on his face. Xemnas's head fell against Sephiroth's sturdy chest as he looked up and blushed at the closeness and scrambled to move away. Xemnas pushed himself away and, in his haste, almost fell backwards when one of Sephiroth's long arms roped around his waist to keep him steady. Xemnas looked up and stared into the beautiful green eyes, forgetting everything that was going on around him. Both ripped their eyes away from one another and separated when they heard a shout.

"Shit, what was that?!" Axel yelled as he looked towards the direction of the explosion.

"I don't know, but we better get over there to make sure everything's okay." Leon shouted over his shoulder as he started running towards the direction of the noise. The others followed him, all wondering if they would have to face another battle.

* * *

Author's Note: Haha, cliffie!!lol. This chapter was going to be longer, but I cut it in half so what was going to be chapter 5 is now chapter 5 and 6. Hope you liked it! Be ready for more and leave reviews please. They give me writing fuel!! XD


	6. Let the Battle Begin

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon, soriku, zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club.lol.i'm horrible. :D

Genre:Romance/humor/angst

Rating:T(possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings:language, shounen-ai, and yaoi. 'nuff said.** LOTS OF VILOENCE IN THIS CHAPTER!!!JUST WARNING YOU!!!**

Author's Note: So this is chapter six, which was originally going to be part of chapter five, oh well. Well, I hope you enjoy this. :)

* * *

_End of chapter five:_

"_Shit, what was that?!" Axel yelled as he looked towards the direction of the explosion._

"_I don't know, but we better get over there to make sure everything's okay." Leon shouted over his shoulder as he started running towards the direction of the noise. The others followed him, all wondering if they would have to face another battle.

* * *

_

Chapter six: Let the Battle Begin

Radiant Garden was in mass chaos. People were panic stricken, running through the streets, not knowing what to do. Sora and the others looked around in confusion, looking for the source of the explosions they had heard earlier. They soon found the culprit looming over the rubble of the buildings it had destroyed. Standing there was a giant, white dog, its muzzle pulled back in a snarl, revealing long, sharp fangs the size of an average human, while blood dripped from its ugly mouth. Sinister red eyes peered at them, almost smirking at all of them as if they were his prey. Sora looked up fearfully at the large dog, noting it was much bigger than the other giant dog he had had the misfortune of facing a few times.

'_Okay, no big deal. It's just another giant dog that's trying to destroy Radiant Garden…and it's eating people…great. It's bigger than Cerberus, but as least it doesn't have three heads. That automatically makes it easier to defeat, right?' _Sora asked himself, trying to find the reassurance that he needed in his own mind. The deadly looking beast saw them in front of him, willing and ready to fight. The savage animal's eyes glinted, seeming to be morbidly excited at the thought of feasting on more fresh, human flesh. The beast looked as though it was looking forward to the challenge as it stalked towards them. Everyone stood their ground, holding their defensive stance as the dog's large footsteps caused vibrations in the ground that felt more like several earthquakes. They all waited, wanting to see the monster's abilities before charging into battle. The red eyed monster stared at them in amusement, ready and eager to rip them apart when he heard a small whimper coming from the left of him.

The beast's white ears perked up as it turned its nose to the air and sniffed deeply. The animal's lips pulled back into something that resembled a wicked smile as it turned to the opposite direction to pursue the source of the noise. The monster walked menacingly slow as the others looked on in confusion, not being able to pick up on what the animal's keen sense of hearing had heard. The giant red eyed dog stopped at a large rock and sniffed it, looking pleased as it took one of its massive paws and turned the rock over, uprooting it from the ground. A small blonde haired girl of no more than four or five whimpered with tears in her eyes as she shrunk back in fear. Cloud's eyes widened as he saw the red eyed beast's fangs get closer to the small girl. Cloud snapped out of his horrified state when the girl shrieked and started to run away. The little girl was too slow for the dog, who was walking at a very slow pace, amused by something so tiny and helpless trying to escape. As the beast got closer and closer to the little girl, something inside Cloud snapped.

"No!" Could yelled at the giant dog as he felt himself run towards the dog at full speed with his Buster sword. The large animal looked up, noticing Cloud and practically smirking at him, not feeling the least bit threatened by the blonde man. Cloud saw the dog peering at him with its red eyes, and suddenly felt like the dog was looking through his soul, seeing his strengths, his weaknesses, his hopes, his dreams, and everything in between. Cloud ignored the horrible feeling in his gut, trying to save the little girl from a gruesome fate. The red-eyed dog gave a short bark that sounded more like a sarcastic laugh as it looked back at the little girl, who had gotten quite far from the beast. The horrid creature crouched down and jumped, causing the ground to shake as Cloud stumbled back and stuck his Buster sword in the ground to keep himself as sturdy as possible. When he looked back up, the monster had the girl cornered. He could still hear her whimpers as he tried to stand. It was like gravity was keeping him from getting anywhere. The giant dog's fangs got closer and closer to the little girl and Cloud suddenly found himself moving again. Cloud ran faster than he had ever run in his life as the red eyed beast took the small, struggling girl in his mouth in a heartbeat.

"Mommy…" The little girl sobbed before she was silenced forever. Cloud stared in horror as the giant dog's jaws bit down on the girl. A sickening crunch emerged that could have been heard from miles and would be imprinted in Cloud's memory forever. So many emotions ran through him as he watched blood drip to the ground and stain the dog's pure white fur. Anger, hate, frustration, regret, sadness, helplessness…Cloud felt all of them and was suddenly overcome with rage. His eyes narrowed, growing angrier by the second as the beast laughed at him with his eyes, mocking his bitter feelings.

"Cloud, don't! You don't know what it's capable of doing yet!" Leon yelled as he watched Cloud run towards the beast blindly. The giant dog just stood there, waiting to see what would happen in amusement. Leon ran after Cloud, knowing that his blonde lover was in trouble.

Cloud ran forward, not caring what the monster did to him. All he knew was that he wanted it dead, that it deserved to die. That thing had already brought so much destruction, destroying half of Radiant Garden and killing an innocent little girl and probably many others. Cloud put his sword straight in front of him, smirking with morbid satisfaction as he felt his weapon connect with the dog's leg. He felt his sword dig into the warm, soft flesh, blood spurting out of the wound like a fountain as the dog snarled in pain.

Cloud pulled back, trying to take his sword with him when he discovered that it wouldn't budge. Cloud tried pulling harder, only to find that the dog's leg seemed to constrict around his sword the harder he pulled.

'_What the hell? Why would it want to keep my sword embedded in its leg? I know it's in pain.' _Cloud thought to himself as he realized he would have to leave his Buster

sword imbedded in the dog's leg if he wanted to escape unharmed. Cloud tried to let go of his sword when he realized he couldn't move any part of his body except for his head. Cloud looked up to see a pair of red eyes staring at him as though they were delighted to have such tasty looking prey that couldn't defend itself in their midst. Cloud watched in horror, wondering what the animal was going to do to him, but had a feeling he was going to find out very soon.

The white dog arched its back, closing its red eyes in concentration as its skin began to morph. Cloud could see and hear its skin bubbling as if something were trying to break through the thin layer of skin and the thick white fur. Cloud stared in curiosity, not being able to tear his eyes away as much as he would have liked to. Suddenly, he saw something poking out of the dog's skin, followed by many other tiny, identical objects. Moments later, Cloud felt a rush of agonizing pain run up his right arm. Cloud screamed out in pain as he stared at his shredded arm. Many knife-like projections had suddenly emerged from under the dog's skin and several of them had cut into Cloud's arm. Blood flowed down Cloud's arm like a winding river, dripping off of the long, sharp projections and created a puddle of blood in front of him. Leon was suddenly right beside him, trying to figure out how to free Cloud as the others trailed shortly behind him. Leon looked up at the beast with a snarl as he noted that it looked pleased with the damage it had caused, although Leon knew it wanted more.

"Damnit! Let him go you bastard!" Leon yelled as he tried to pry the spikes off of Cloud with his hands, reluctant to use his Gun blade for fear it would harm Cloud even more. His efforts proved to be useless, seeing as every time he tried to pull one spike away the others dug into Cloud's arm even more. Cloud screamed out again, not having felt this kind of physical pain in a long time. Sephiroth passed by, jumping up and gently landing on one of the spikes that wasn't attached to Cloud's arm. He stared at the wound calmly, assessing the situation to figure out what needed to be done.

"We have no choice but to cut them off. I might cut into his arm even more, but anything's better than leaving him like this." Sephiroth explained calmly as he unsheathed his sword. He quietly started cutting away at the spikes, the giant dog becoming increasingly annoyed at the situation as Cloud winced every time Sephiroth's sword made contact with his arm. Cloud was soon free from the spikes and stumbled backwards, his sword now coming out of the giant dog quite easily.

Cloud fell back, dropping his sword and clutching his bleeding arm. Cloud looked up and noticed that the dog's entire body was covered in the offending spikes. He looked down at the stab wound he had made minutes ago to see that another spike had emerged from the wound and the ones that Sephiroth had cut away had grown back twice as long. Cloud also saw that the dog hadn't moved from the spot it was in the entire time, it was currently thrashing its head about wildly as it snarled. Cloud wondered why this was, and found his answer about twenty-five feet away in the form of a small, slate haired man. Zexion had his thick, black book open, chanting something under his breath and his hand raised in the air, keeping his eyes and mind focused on the beast in front of him. It was starting to look like Zexion wouldn't be able to keep the beast still for much longer, seeing as he had to dodge the flying spikes being directed towards him at the same time. The beast was smart enough to figure out that Zexion was the cause of his partial numbness and wanted to do anything in its power to get rid of him. While Zexion tried to keep the beast as still as he possibly could, the others were attacking ferociously, looking for a weak point while trying to make sure they didn't get hit with one of the monster's ejected spikes or that they didn't cut one off, wanting to avoid the spikes getting any larger. Cloud looked to his side and realized that Leon was kneeled next to him. Leon grabbed Cloud's waist and gently helped him to his feet.

"That kid's pretty amazing. Who knew that someone as small as him would be able to paralyze something that big." Leon said as he watched Zexion. "I don't think he can keep it up for much longer though. He's already stretching his limits far beyond his reach."

"What is this thing Leon? It's worse than a swarm of Heartless. This thing…I feel like it has a higher intelligence than all of us combined…" Cloud said as he stared at the wild dog in front of him.

"I don't know what it is Cloud, but we'll have to talk about this later. I still have to go out there and fight. Stay as far away as you can, I don't want you to get hurt again." Leon said as he grabbed his Gun blade, hoping that Cloud would listen to him for once.

"No, I still have the strength to fight, this wound is nothing." Cloud said as he ran to go fight with the others before a word could slip through Leon's parted mouth.

Zexion, all the way on the other side of the battlefield, was having an extremely difficult time keeping the beast at bay. The giant dog had already regained control of two of its feet, making it even harder for Zexion to stay focused with the violent earthquake-like vibrations erupting around him. Zexion's eyes widened as he realized he was loosing his control over the animal more and more every second.

"Guys, I can't keep this up much longer, I'm loosing my control!" Zexion yelled as he felt the last of his control slip. The beast suddenly turned to glare at Zexion, a deep craving for revenge in its ravenous eyes. The monster launched several spikes at its victim as Zexion stood like a deer caught in the headlights, completely frozen as he watched one of the smaller spikes head straight towards him. Zexion squeezed his eyes shut in fear and waited for the offending spike to hit, but instead heard a sickening thud, like the sound of something digging deep into someone's flesh. Zexion's eyes opened in confusion that soon turned into horror as he took in the sight of Demyx sitting in a puddle of his own blood.

"Demyx!" Zexion cried as he ran to his lover's side, turning him over to see the spike lodged deep in Demyx's side.

"Hehe…that kind of hurt." Demyx said as he smiled at Zexion weakly. Tears threatened to spill over Zexion's eyes as he looked down at Demyx, not understanding how someone so close to death could make a spectacle of the situation.

"You idiot! Why did you do that?!" Zexion asked as his voice cracked, allowing the tears he had been holding back moments ago to spill down his pale, fragile cheeks.

"Don't cry Zexy, you know I would never let you take a hit like that." Demyx said as he slowly lifted a shaky hand and wiped Zexion's tears away.

Axel's eyes widened at the sight of his best friend lying on the floor, bleeding to death. He was mystified yet horrified of the image. Axel was about to go over to help Zexion heal him, when Roxas stopped him.

"No, Axel, you keep fighting. I'll help Zexion." Roxas said as he ran towards Zexion and Demyx, kneeling next to his friends as he watched Zexion run a furtive hand through Demyx's hair, using what little energy he had left to heal him.

"Come on, I'll help you. I'm sure he'll be fine if we heal him together." Roxas said reassuringly as he eyed Zexion gently. Zexion gave a small nod, unable to speak. Axel was slightly comforted by this notion, but it was quickly turned into rage as he thought of the beast that had harmed his best friend.

"You bastard, you're going to pay for that!" Axel said as his chakrams suddenly lit into balls of fire. He ran forward, attacking the beast with as much force as he could muster.

"Stupid mutt!" Yuffie yelled as she threw a solemn kunai at the dog. The giant dog turned to her, annoyed by the small, irritating pricks she was attacking him with. The dog gave a deep growl and launched a large number of its long, sharp spikes at the small girl. Just before they hit, Sephiroth quickly picked her up by the waist and carried her to safety. Once he was sure the beast was distracted by another fighter, he sat her down on the ground.

"Yuffie, get out of here." Sephiroth commanded calmly, watching the battle going on before him.

"What?! No way, I'm staying to fight with everyone else!" Yuffie said exasperatingly as she stomped a foot in the ground and crossed her arms to make her point very clear.

"This battle is getting too dangerous for you. You'll get hurt if you remain here much longer." Sephiroth said as he watched one of the monster's large spikes cut across Sora's arm, leaving a deep scratch.

"But everyone else is fighting! I can't just leave you guys!"

"Go home and tell Aerith what's happening. Tell her that I would advise her to get her first aid supplies ready." Sephiroth said, completely ignoring Yuffie's loud protests.

"But-

"Yuffie!" Sephiroth snapped as he glared at her with a hard, stern look in his eyes. Yuffie caught this immediately and knew that there was no point in arguing. Yuffie nodded slowly, taking a long look at the battlefield before reluctantly turning and leaving, not looking back once. Once Sephiroth was sure the female ninja was really gone, he returned to the battlefield, hoping to end it sooner than later.

Xemnas stared at the large animal, his stomach in knots as he watched it move with surprising grace for its size, the stomping it had done earlier seemingly on purpose, to throw them off. Something seemed horribly familiar about the beast, though he couldn't place it. It felt as if he had seen the monster in front of him before, or at least something much like it.

'_Why do I feel like I know you?'_ Xemnas asked himself as a sudden overwhelming sadness overcame him, as though someone was slowly ripping out his heart.

'_My heart…'_ Xemnas thought as he clutched his chest fearfully, as if he were afraid that something really was going to rip out his new found heart or that the feeling he had in his chest was going to make it explode. He suddenly had the urge to cry as he looked up at the deadly beast. He knew that this urge wasn't caused by the destruction the beast had caused or the people it had killed, no, this was the cause of a memory he couldn't quite place and had a feeling that he didn't want to remember. Xemnas's stomach churned uncomfortably as though he were about to throw up. He swallowed slowly as he was broken from his train of thought by the sound of a large rock hitting the giant monster of a dog. The beast had been thrown back, the others quickly stumbling out of the way to avoid being squished by the massive dog's body. The beast fell against a cliff, causing rocks to slide down and fall on the giant beast. Xemnas looked around to see where the airborne rock had come from to find Tifa crushing several large rocks with her fist. She stopped briefly, lifting a large rock over her head, waiting for the dog to get back up as Xemnas shuddered at the sight.

'_Forget about her boobs, I'm more worried about her abnormal upper body strength.'_ Xemnas thought with a twitch as Tifa threw another rock at the beast as it stood up, causing it to give an aggravated roar as it charged towards them. Xemnas ran forward, knowing that this battle wasn't going to be over any time soon.

The battle had been raging on for nearly three hours and the signs of weariness had started to show in everyone's body language. Cloud had already dropped out of the battle with Roxas, Zexion, Demyx and Yuffie because the pain in his arm had finally become too intense to ignore. All he could do was watch as the others struggled to kill the monster.

'_This has gone on long enough. This thing has to have a weak point.'_ Sephiroth thought as he looked the beast up and down slowly with his assertive eyes. He could tell that the giant dog was worn out, its movements had become gradually slower. Sephiroth looked at the dog's now bloodied chest and knew it would be pointless to attack its heart. There was no way to avoid getting stabbed by the beast's deadly spikes from that angle. Sephiroth looked all over the beast, who's fur was no longer distinguishably white because it's fur was so stained in blood from the numerous hits it had taken, and realized there was only one place he could possibly kill it from.

'_Its head…'_ Sephiroth thought suddenly, noticing that the beast's head was the only part of its body that was almost completely defenseless. The head of the beast only contained two spikes, although they were larger than the others, but would be easy enough to dodge if he went towards the beast at the right angle. Sephiroth knew the only way he could do this was to come at the monster's head from the air. He knew exactly what he had to do as he moved behind the beast as to not let it see what he was about to do. Xemnas watched in mild curiosity, wondering what the other man could be up to.

Sephiroth closed his eyes, concentrating on what needed to be done. Xemnas's eyes widened as Sephiroth's midnight colored wings revealed themselves, all four of them adding to Sephiroth's perfected beauty. A few of the loosened dark feathers fluttered past Xemnas's face as his golden eyes stared in fascination, the wings only making Sephiroth more gorgeous in his mind's eye. His wings were spread wide, his emerald eyes standing out against the darkness of them as he took to the air gracefully.

Sephiroth flew behind the animal, not wanting it to see him. But being Sephiroth's luck, the beast turned its head and saw the silver haired man's attempts. The giant dog immediately launched the two large spikes on its head, Sephiroth dodged the first one easily, but was so focused on stabbing the beast that he barely dodged the second spike as it scratched his upper left wing. Sephiroth winced as some of his feathers were ripped out by the contact, revealing a large scratch that had been made by the impact. Sephiroth chose to ignore the mark and flew quickly, aiming his sword directly at the dog's head. A sickening crack was heard as Sephiroth's sword went through the dog's skull. The animal howled in pain as it thrashed its head around in an attempt to throw Sephiroth off with no success. Blood seeped out of the wound and flowed down all sides of the giant dog's head, blood running into the beast's eyes, staining its vision red and blinding it. Sephiroth took his sword from the dog's head and stabbed it three more times, finishing it off. The once deadly beast's eyes rolled back in its head as Sephiroth removed his sword and flew away. The dog collapsed in a pool of its own blood and disintegrated moments later, only leaving its blood, the scent of death, and the destruction it had caused behind. The battle was over.

* * *

Everyone trudged home, tired and beaten as they carried themselves back. Leon was also carrying Cloud, insisting that the blonde stay as still as possible with his torn up arm. Axel was carrying Demyx in his arms, Zexion not being able to do it himself because of the considerable size difference between them. The short trip home became agonizingly long as their wounds started to affect them, unnoticeable in the midst of battle but now throbbing horribly. They eventually found themselves inside of their home, Aerith running up immediately and taking notice to Cloud's wound first.

"No, don't worry about my injuries. Demyx is in much worse condition than I am." Cloud said as he brushed Aerith away from him. Aerith looked at Demyx's stab wound, ushering Axel to lay him down on a nearby bed. Leon made Cloud sit down, helping him clean and wrap his wounds. He had known Aerith long enough to know how to treat the kind of injury Cloud had. Leon started to clean the wounds gently, trying to prevent putting Cloud in any more pain. As Leon wrapped Cloud's wound, he felt his blonde lover's arm shaking. Leon looked up curiously and noticed that Cloud's entire body was shaking and his head was down, making it evident that he was crying. Leon's eyes softened as he realized that Cloud wasn't crying out of physical pain, but because of what he had emotionally experienced out on the battle field. He knew that all of Cloud's emotions had probably rushed back to him all at once, and he remembered how he had been unable to save the little girl. Leon knew of Cloud's soft spot for children as he lifted the blonde's chin and looked at him with a clear understanding.

"I couldn't save her." Cloud stammered as tears rolled down his face.

"It's not your fault, you couldn't have done anything to stop it from happening." Leon said soothingly as he took Cloud in his arms. He felt the blonde's warm tears run down his neck as Cloud leaned into the embrace.

"Why would anyone do that? She was just a little girl, she didn't do anything wrong." Cloud said in a desperate whisper, as though Leon could give him a definite answer.

"I don't know Cloud, but that thing wasn't human at all, it was a mindless beast. Let's just hope that that little girl is in a better place now." Leon said as he ran a hand through Cloud's hair.

"No, it wasn't. It's terrifying, but, I think that thing knew exactly what I was thinking. It was like it could see right through me…it was like it only killed the little girl because it knew that that would hurt me. That's all it wanted…to inflict as much pain as possible…" Cloud said as Leon looked at him curiously, wanting to continue the discussion and find out where Cloud was going with his theory, but before he could respond, he heard a cry of pain and looked over to see Demyx laying on the bed, the spike still imbedded in him.

Aerith stood there, not knowing how to treat a wound so severe and knowing it would be impossible to take Demyx to the hospital now. It was too far away and it would already be crowded with other patients that had gotten hurt in the attack. Aerith moved an unsure hand towards the spike, causing Demyx to cry out again when she tugged on it slightly in a pathetic attempt to pull it out.

"Don't touch it." Xemnas said suddenly as he walked hurriedly towards them. Aerith looked up with a questioning glance, surprised by the outburst as she moved over to make room for Xemnas.

"It looks like Roxas and Zexion's healing abilities gave Demyx back his blood supply, but none of that will matter if that spike is pulled out at the wrong angle. If that happens it'll damage his internal organs and then we'll have a bigger problem on our hands." Xemnas said as he went to the bathroom sink and started washing his hands, spreading the soap all the way from his finger tips to his elbows and scrubbing them roughly before rinsing all of the soap off. He walked back to the room, taking notice to a pair of gloves in the first aid kit on the bedside table and put them on while also grabbing other ointments and bandages he would need.

"What are you doing?" asked Aerith curiously.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm pulling a giant spike out of a kid with a mullet." Xemnas grunted sarcastically. "But I need to make a few changes first." Xemnas stated as he looked around the room. "Zexion, sit behind Demyx and keep him calm, and Luxord, sit down! You're making me nervous!" Xemnas demanded as he shot a hard glare at the pacing man. Luxord sat down immediately, although he fidgeted in his seat the entire time.

"Axel, Sephiroth! I need you two to hold him down, he's not going to stay still through this." Xemnas said authoritatively as Axel and Sephiroth grabbed Demyx on either side and waited. Zexion also held Demyx down, whispering soothing words in his ear.

"Alright, we're all ready then? I'm going to pull this thing out as fast as I can." Xemnas said as he tightened his grip around the spike. Demyx's whole body tensed in anticipation.

"Try to relax. It's going to hurt more this way. If your muscles are tightened around this thing I'll have to pull harder." Xemnas said as he eyed Zexion, silently telling him to find a way to get Demyx to relax. Zexion nodded, seeming to understand this message and started whispering lovingly in Demyx's ear, running a hand through dirty blonde hair at the same time. Xemnas watched expectantly, waiting for Demyx to relax. When he felt that he was relaxed enough, Xemnas quickly pulled the spike out. Demyx cried out, relieved that the spike was finally out of him but in pain at the same time. Xemnas huffed grudgingly and threw the bloody spike into a nearby trashcan. As Xemnas started cleaning the wound, Axel came to a sudden realization and smirked. As Xemnas was wrapping the wound, he looked up and saw Axel's face, raising a questioning eyebrow at the red head.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Xemnas questioned as he looked at Axel's peculiar facial expression. It said, "You just did something you wouldn't normally do and I'm going to tease you about it.", and Xemnas didn't like it.

"When did you decide to start calling us by our real names?" Axel taunted.

"…It was a mistake…" Xemnas said quietly.

"Hehe…no, I don't think it was. Admit it Mansex, you actually enjoy being here and you're actually starting to like us." Axel said informatively with a smirk as Xemnas's eyes narrowed.

"And I think you've completely lost it. And stop calling me Mansex!" Xemnas finished haughtily.

"Sure thing…Mansex."

"Axel!"

"See?! You did it again!"

"You insolent-

"How did you know how to treat Demyx's wounds like that?" Sephiroth asked suddenly, interrupting the useless argument.

"What do you mean?" Xemnas asked as he looked up at the other man in question.

"You pulled that spike out of Demyx with precision and took care of his wounds almost professionally. I take it you have some medical experience?" Sephiroth asked with slight curiosity. Xemnas's eyes shifted, averting his eyes back up to Sephiroth with an emotion the green eyed man couldn't read, and it bothered him that he had no idea what the man was thinking. Xemnas looked down at his lap, his fingers curling into the fabric of his jeans as he clenched his fists. He looked up again, his eyes devoid of all emotion.

"I'm going for a walk…need some fresh air…" Xemnas said quietly as he stood up and hurried out of the room without another word.

"What the hell was that all about?" Axel asked when he heard the front door click shut, signaling that Xemnas was no longer in the house.

"I don't know, maybe Sephiroth's question triggered some bad memories that haven't resurfaced in a while." Roxas stated as Axel nodded, finding this assumption reasonable.

"Yo, Sai. You were closer to Xemnas than the rest of us. Did he ever mention anything about his past around you?" Axel asked the blue haired man.

"No, I remember asking him once and his reaction was much like the one you just witnessed, so I never questioned him again."

"Well I guess we're never going to find out now. Damn, now I'm curious!" Axel said as he gave a sigh of disappointment.

"Axel's right. We can't really just go up and ask him. We should leave it at that. You never know what someone else has been through." Leon added seriously, knowing a lot about digging into the troubled lives of others.

"Actually…there is one way we could find out." Zexion stated, everyone turning to him with sudden interest. "I have a book that lets you go into the past. I used it a couple of times in the organization for research purposes, but I think I can transport all of us at once."

"You can seriously do that?! That's awesome! Wait, you have _more_ giant books?!" Axel asked incredulously.

"Of course." Zexion said as if it were the most commonly known fact in the world. "I'll go get it." Zexion stated as he left the room and returned with a thick, dark purple book minutes later. Zexion sat on the floor, flipping through the book to find the right page. When he found it, he read it carefully, knowing that he had to do this exactly right if he wanted to get everyone in and out of the past in one piece. Zexion eventually stopped reading, nodding and smiling in satisfaction, showing that he fully understood what he was about to do.

"Okay, I need everyone to stay completely still. Any sudden movements could make this go horribly wrong." Zexion ordered as everyone stayed as still as possible, much to Zexion's relief, as he started muttering under his breath. Everyone's eyes widened when they felt as though the room was spinning and felt like they were being lifted out of the room, drifting right into the past. There was a flash of blinding light, everyone shutting their eyes tight in response to the brightness. As they opened their eyes hesitantly, they found themselves shrouded in complete darkness.

* * *

Author's Note: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! ANOTHER CLIFFIE!!! So what will they find out about Xemmy's past? You'll just have to wait for the next chapter to find out!!! Leave reviews or I will attack you with a giant spike much like the one that Demy got attacked with!!!! Just kidding, I would never do that cuz then I wouldn't have any more reviewers!!! But seriously guys, I adore your feedback.:) 


	7. Lucky Number Seven

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon, soriku, zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club.lol.i'm horrible. :D I also don't own the names of certain places, because some of them are names of places in rural Japan.

Genre:Romance/humor/angst

Rating:T(possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: Shounen-ai/yaoi, language. SOME OC'S IN THIS CHAPTER!

Author's note: Well here's chapter 7, which was originally going to be longer, but I divided it into two different chapters instead because it's too much work for me to type and too much work for you guys to read. (And shut up Nat! It's not my fault I write ridiculously long chapters!) So anyway, on to the story.(One more note, I changed Xemnas's eye color from gold to amber, if any of you care all that much.)

* * *

_End of Chapter 6_

"_Okay, I need everyone to stay completely still. Any sudden movements could make this go horribly wrong." Zexion ordered as everyone stayed as still as possible, much to Zexion's relief, as he started muttering under his breath. Everyone's eyes widened when they felt as though the room was spinning and felt like they were being lifted out of the room, drifting right into the past. There was a flash of blinding light, everyone shutting their eyes tight in response to the brightness. As they opened their eyes hesitantly, they found themselves shrouded in complete darkness. _

Chapter 7: Lucky Number Seven

Everyone looked at their dark surroundings, not fully understanding what was going on. They all turned to Zexion, hoping he could give them a reason for the darkness.

"Stay calm and wait," Zexion said reassuringly, "it's always like this in the beginning." Sure enough, right after Zexion made this remark the darkened room started moving again, and the darkness was suddenly swept away as the room began to change its shape. The walls began to disappear, and the floor beneath their feet started to turn into damp, morning grass. A small, busy looking town called Rokugo was revealed. It was chilly and a mist hung in the air, making everything a bit dreary. Everyone looked around in disarray, clearly invisible to the people of the past as they looked for a certain silver haired man among the crowd. They soon found him, but he was not how they expected him to be. 

"Hey kid! Watch it!" An older man said as he shoved the teenage boy that had bumped into him. "Kids these days." The man whispered gruffly as he shook his head and stomped off. The said teenager was bent over picking up books that he had dropped in the collision. 

"Sorry sir…" The teenage boy said as he picked his head up. The others immediately realized that he was Xemnas. He was younger, probably no more than eighteen years old. His hair had just started to reach his neck and his eyes seemed much bigger and brighter, like they were full of a distant hope and an ignorant innocence. The reproachful scowl that the members of the Organization were so used to seeing didn't exist on the younger Xemnas's face, but was replaced by a shy, uncertain smile. The other's jolted in surprise as their feet began to move on their own accord when Xemnas began walking. They were soon dragged along to a place called Kochi University, Xemnas quietly walking onto the campus grounds. He was soon walking through hallways with students that looked a bit older than him. He came to a classroom and entered, heading towards the back of the room. 

It was a large class. Most of the students where chatting idly amongst themselves, except for Xemnas. Nobody seemed to take much notice to him as he sat down in his seat placidly. The other students continued to converse while Xemnas buried his nose in a book, until the professor entered the classroom. All fell silent as he cleared his throat.

The class Xemnas was in was an advanced math class. One that was designed for students that were a bit older than Xemnas. Most of the undergraduates took notes, although some had already given up because they couldn't keep up with the professor's complicated lectures.

"Now, who knows the answer to this simple equation?" The professor asked as he turned to the class in a questioning manner. The class looked at the board blankly. This so called "simple equation" nearly took up the entire board and might has well have been written in a different language. Xemnas raised his hand reluctantly. The professor's face brightened considerably at the movement. 

"The answer's 234." Xemnas said stilly as he shrunk back in his seat while most of the class glared at him.

"Very good Xemnas. All of you could learn something from him. This boy is in all junior classes and he's only supposed to be a senior in high school. He's going places." The professor said with an appreciative nod as he continued with his lesson. Xemnas responded by hiding his red face behind his book.

"Who does that kid think he is!" Kourtney, one of the most popular girls at the Kochi University, said snobbishly as she walked out of the classroom. Class had just ended and Kourtney and her friends were talking rather loudly about a certain silver haired teenager. 

"I _know._" One girl said obnoxiously. "He always gets every single answer right. It's _so_ annoying."

"He thinks he's so damn smart! That's why he never talks to anyone! He thinks he's too good for people with a lower IQ than his!" Another girl said in an uppity manner as she pushed people who were blocking her path out of her way.

"Oh come on guys, we don't know that for sure. Maybe he's just shy." One of the sweeter girls replied. Kourtney snorted indignantly at the thought of something she found so ridiculous.

"Sure he is honey. Don't worry, hang out with us long enough and you'll learn not to assume something so stupid of people like Xemnas." Kourtney said as she pushed an innocent bystander to the ground. 

"What do you mean by people like him?" The girl asked uneasily. 

"You know, nerds that think they're above everyone else just because they're smarter when really they're just losers with no life." Kourtney said informatively, as if she had the slightest idea what she was talking about and was actually teaching the newest member of her clique something important. 

"I don't think he's like that at all…I actually think he's kind of cute…" The new girl said unobtrusively as the other girls busted into a fit of laughter.

"Oh _darling_, you're _so_ lucky you have us to teach you right from wrong. Don't worry, we'll find a guy that's more suitable for you." Kourtney said with a short laugh. "Oh lookie, here he comes now." Kourtney said as if she were a vicious predator hunting a defenseless kitten.

"Hey Xemnas! One of my girls is interested in you! Want to go on a date with her!" Kourtney said as the other girls laughed at the mere thought of Xemnas getting a date with someone of their social status. Xemnas' face turned a cherry red as he once again hid his face behind his books. He distantly heard one of the girls shout, "Yeah right, like we'd ever let the likes of you date one of _our_ girls."

'_But I never said I wanted to…' _Xemnas thought weakly as he hurried off to his next class.

The rest of the day was very similar to Xemnas's first class. Students turned to glare at him every time he answered a question correctly that they couldn't figure out themselves. This kind of behavior was especially bad in his medical classes, where students seemed to loathe him the most.

"What the hell makes that kid so special? Why does he already have a job at the best hospital in town?" One girl hissed menacingly at one of her friends.

"Well _my_ opinion in that he did a few favors for the Doctor Eiji if you know what I mean." The teenage boy sniggered cruelly.

"Stop it! You're such a pervert!" The girl said with a giggle.

"Well come on! You know it's probably true. How else would he be able to get a nursing job at such a good hospital without his degree? Besides, I've heard that the doctor hasn't been getting any from his wife." The arrogant teenager said matter-of-factly as they glared at Xemnas when he walked by.

It looked as though Xemnas were heading for home, but it was obvious that this was not the case when he entered a building called Rokugo Hospital. Xemnas walked up to the front desk, setting his book bag behind it. He quickly thanked the woman behind the computer with a nod as the woman gave him a small smile before returning to her work. Xemnas started to walk away when he was greeted by a frantic nurse. 

"Xemnas! Thank God you're here! We need as much help as we can get. A new batch of injured soldiers just arrived and most of them are in critical condition. We just don't have enough people to get to them all at once!" The nurse said frenziedly as she dragged Xemnas through the halls. They were in the middle of the war, and more soldiers were being critically injured and dying each day. Most of them were sent to Rokugo Hospital simply because the soldiers could be brought there quickly. A common problem they faced was their shortage of doctors. Many of the people that had once worked at the hospital had quit their jobs and moved as far away as they could in fear of the war moving inland. Xemnas continued to follow the nurse and soon found Doctor Eiji ushering nurses with wounded soldiers into different sections of the hospital. The doctor was a middle aged man, his gray hairs and the premature lines etched in his face seemed to stand out more on these sort of days.

"Xemnas, you're here." Doctor Eiji said as he turned around to get a better look at the boy. He seemed to be relieved that he had more help. The doctor was about to tell Xemnas something when another wounded soldier was rolled in on a gurney.

The man was in a horrid state. His clothes were torn and tattered in several places and was covered in a large amount of his own blood. When Doctor Eiji looked at the injured man, he knew he wouldn't have the time to take a look at him for several hours. He had other patients that were much worse off than this one.

"Xemnas, I need you to treat this patient." Doctor Eiji said as he gazed at the boy with trusting eyes. 

"What! You can't mean that! This patients in critical condition! I've never handled something like this by myself!" Xemnas said frantically. He didn't like the idea of handling a situation such as this one on his own.

"Xemnas, you make a better doctor than half of the people here that have already been through medical school and gotten their degrees. Don't worry, I trust you and I believe that you have what it takes to save this man." The doctor said as he took a final glance at the injured soldier and left without another word. Xemnas was all alone, left to stare at an unconscious, injured man. Xemnas looked the man up and down, noticing that the only part of him that wasn't injured was his rather flawless, beautiful face. The man with no name had a well chiseled, thin face and high cheek bones. He had a pale complexion and midnight black hair that stretched passed his waist. Xemnas touched the man's face carefully, afraid of ruining the sort of fragile looking beauty the injured soldier possessed. He ran his fingers over closed eyelids, wondering if the man's eyes were as pretty as the rest of his face.

'_What the hell am I doing? I have a dying patient and I'm just standing here gawking at him.' _Xemnas thought as he blushed at his own foolishness and took his nameless patient in to an empty hospital room.

Xemnas worked on healing his patient through the rest of the late afternoon and early evening. When he was done with his work, he stood up and took one look at nameless beauty, hoping that he would survive so he could see his unknown eyes.

* * *

Two weeks had passed since Xemnas had been assigned to care for the mysterious man, and he was surprisingly close to a full recovery. Doctor Eiji had praised him for a job well done, jokingly asking him what his secret was. Xemnas denied that he had done anything different from any normal doctor's practice. Doctor Eiji simply laughed at him and said he was being too modest as he left the room, telling Xemnas that his success would lead to him becoming a doctor very soon. Xemnas tried to tell the doctor otherwise, but it was too late. Xemnas gave his patient a puzzled looked, not understanding how he was healing so fast. He hadn't done anything that could have sped up the man's recovery. The whole situation was just so illogical. Xemnas's train of thought was interrupted as the dark haired man stirred. Xemnas stayed completely still, waiting for the other man to awaken. The wounded soldier opened his eyes slowly, squinting in the bright sunlight that filtered the room through the open blinds. The man stared at the ceiling unblinkingly before his eyes roamed around the room, eventually landing on Xemnas.

Xemnas was shocked, to say the least. The man's eyes were more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. One eye was a sea blue, while the other was an emerald green. His mismatched eyes were the only things that weren't absolutely perfect on his beautiful face, but the small imperfection only made him look even more gorgeous. The man stared at Xemnas for a long time as if he were deciding whether or not he was really awake before he sat up.

"Where am I?" The man asked in confusion as he looked around the room again. 

"In Rokugo Hospital. You were severely wounded in battle two weeks ago and brought here. I've been taking care of you since then." Xemnas said shyly with a small blush on his face. The man smiled as if he didn't notice Xemnas' discomfort.

'_He's adorable.' _The soldier thought as he looked Xemnas up and down. Xemnas fidgeted under the man's gaze.

"Kid, how old are you? You look like you just got out of high school. How can you be a doctor?" The man asked curiously.

"I'm almost eighteen sir." Xemnas said politely.

'_Damn, almost legal.'_ The soldier thought jokingly. He was already starting to take a liking to the young doctor in front of him. 

"Don't call me sir. My name's Zack." Zack said suddenly.

"Um…alright Zack. And what's your last name?" Xemnas said as he sat down in a chair next to the hospital bed.

"Don't have one."

"What?"

"I grew up in an orphanage. I was brought there when I was a few days old. There was a letter with me when they found me. All it contained was my name and a wish to take good care of me."

"Oh…I see…" Xemnas said quietly. He hated digging into people's pasts.

"I also need your age." Xemnas said after a minute or so.

"Ah, getting curious about me, aren't we?" Zack said teasingly as Xemnas's entire face ignited into a bright red color.

"I need your age because we couldn't find you on any of our records." Xemnas stammered, looking down at the clip board on his lap the entire time.

"Don't worry kid, I was just messing with you. I'm twenty-one." Zach said with a short laugh, amused at how easily the boy got flustered.

"Alright then, I better go file that. I'll be back in a while." Xemnas said as he headed for the door.

"Wait a second." Zack said as Xemnas turned around to look at the dark haired man.

"I told you a little about myself, so I want to know a little about you." Zack said suggestively with a wide grin, watching Xemnas expectantly. 

"All you gave me was your background information." Xemnas said as he raised a silver eyebrow at the other man.

"All I want to know is your name." Zack said, his mismatched eyes looking almost pleadingly at Xemnas. The teen cracked under the rather cute puppy dog eyes immediately.

"…My name's Xemnas."

"Hmm, Xemnas…now isn't that a peculiar name." 

"It's not like I chose it." Xemnasresponded in weak protest as he left the room. Zack just laughed, wondering how his relationship with the teenage boy would evolve during his stay at the hospital.

In the next few days, Xemnas came back to the same hospital room to check on Zack.

"How are you feeling?" Xemnas asked as he sat down.

"Perfectly fine, to be honest. Why do they insist on keeping me here?" Zack asked as he sat up.

"It's just our regulations. Because of the condition you were in when you got here, they'll probably make you stay here for at least another month." Xemnas said.

"Well that sucks." Zack said with a sigh as he leaned into his pillows.

"What I don't understand is how the hell you healed so fast. You should still be in critical condition…" Xemnas trailed off.

"Maybe I just have an amazing doctor." Zack said with a large grin, shamelessly flirting with the younger man.

"Or I could just have an amazing patient." Xemnas said absentmindedly, not fully aware of what he had just said. Zack snorted at the statement. Xemnas's face turned a deep crimson color as Zack continued to chuckle at him.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Xemnas stammered as he hid his face in his hands.

"_Sure_ you didn't." Zack said as he let his laughter die down, noticing that Xemnas had a book-like object under his arm. 

"What's that?" Zack inquired as he pointed at the object. Xemnas suddenly pulled the item out from under his arm and handed it to Zack.

"It's yours. I found it in one of your shirt pockets when I undressed you." Xemnas said as he handed Zack a red journal covered in a velvety material. "I thought it might be something important to you, so I kept it. I'm amazed that it escaped unscratched, considering the condition you were in."

"Hmm, you found my diary." Zack said as he fingered through the pages lightly. Xemnas began to laugh as Zack looked at him oddly.

"What?" Zack asked with a blank stare as Xemnas continued to giggle.

"You actually call it a diary?" Xemnas asked.

"Hey, at least I'm man enough to admit it. Most men have too much testosterone to acknowledge such things!" Zack said overdramatically as he crossed his arms and sported a fake pout. This gesture only made Xemnas laugh harder as Zack's lips pulled back into a smile. He was pleased that he had been able to make the shy teenager laugh so openly.

"That's certainly admirable. I respect you for that." Xemnas said as he finally overcame his laughing fit, starting to feel more at ease around the older man. 

As time went by, Xemnas started visiting Zack more often. Things in the hospital had started to calm down a little bit, now that they had gotten control of their large number of patients. That's how life was during a war. One minute everything was hectic and panic stricken, and the next minute, everything was peaceful and calm, like a bad storm would hit at any given moment.

"What's the war like?" Xemnas asked one day. He knew that he probably shouldn't ask a soldier this kind of question, but he felt like he could ask Zack and get an honest answer without offending him. 

"It's not something I can really explain in words. War's a horrible, bloody thing. It's not something kids your age should get involved in." Zack said as he gazed out of the window at his bedside. 

"But you enlisted when you were about my age, didn't you?" Xemnas asked as he studied the beautiful man carefully.

"Yes, I did. And let me tell you something, that was one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made in my life. If I could go back to the day I signed up, I wouldn't have done it. Never get involved with the war Xemnas, _you're_ the one that's doing the real good for the world." Zack said as he turned and looked Xemnas right in the eyes.

"Not really. Our hospital hasn't done much for our soldiers…we lose so many of them." Xemnas said downcast. 

"But at least you're trying to save people. All our soldiers do is kill people to try and prove that killing people is wrong." Zack said solemnly.

"Umm…Zack? I need you to take your shirt off." Xemnas stated abruptly. 

"Heh?"

"I need to look at your wounds and check your heartbeat." Xemnas said, his face a vivid red.

"Oh…that makes more sense." Zack said, his voice lined with a fluttering disappointment as he threw his shirt over his head. Xemnas swallowed uncomfortably as his eyes scanned over Zack's milky white skin. Dark hair was strewn across broad, pale shoulders that were attached to toned, muscular arms and a curved back. His pants were hanging loosely on his hips, giving his waist almost complete exposure. Xemnas moved forward, attentively placing his timid hands on Zack's abdomen. He felt for abnormalities, but only found surprisingly baby soft skin. He had always assumed that a soldiers skin would be dry and coarse, but this was pleasantly different. Zack shivered as Xemnas' hand ran past one of his less healed scars. Xemnas pulled his hand away agilely and looked at Zack quizzically. 

"I'm sorry, are they still sensitive?" Xemnas asked.

"A little." Zack said as he gingerly touched one of the deep, jagged scars on his side. The scar was a deep pink, the once gaping wound replaced by a thin layer of skin. Xemnas leaned in to check Zack's heartbeat. The only thing he could hear was the gentle beat of a normal, healthy heart.

"It looks like everything's fine." Xemnas said pleasingly. "I'll be back in a couple of days to check up on you again." Xemnas said as he left, giving Zack a short wave.

* * *

There was a harsh rainstorm, and Xemnas was running late for work. His skin stung as he ran through the rain, harsh pellets pouring down on him as he tried to get to the hospital as fast as he could. Xemnas ran through a puddle in his soaking wet shoes as he looked up at the sky through his dripping hair that clung to his face stubbornly. A lighting bolt struck directly over Xemnas's head and thunder roared right in his ear as he ran across the street. A car whizzed past him, narrowly missing him as the driver honked his horn clamorously. Xemnas continued down the street and eventually found himself at the hospital. He stepped inside, thankful to find no rain, but was greeted by an unpleasant chill. Xemnas shivered as he walked up to the front desk and placed his books behind the counter.

"Here, you better take one of these before you catch a cold." The woman behind the counter said with a warm smile as she handed Xemnas a fluffy, warm towel.

"Thank you." Xemnas said as he took the towel gratefully and started towel drying his hair. He began to walk away when the woman called him back.

"Xemnas! Don't bother getting any food for Zack, another nurse already did it." The woman said as she returned to her work. Xemnas nodded, still wanting to check on the dark haired patient, even if someone else had already taken care of him.

Xemnas soon found Zack's hospital room and was about to open the door when he heard the argument taking place on the other side.

"I'm not eating it!" Xemnas heard Zack yell almost frantically. He also heard someone shuffling around, as if there were some kind of struggle going on.

"You will if you ever want to get out of this hospital." A rough female voice yelled on the other end of the door.

'_Oh, that's just great.' _Xemnas thought sarcastically as he kept his ear pressed against the door. The other nurse that had been sent in Xemnas's place what one of the meanest nurses in the entire hospital. He couldn't quite remember what her name was, or if he had ever known it at all. He tended to stay out of her way to avoid any injuries. Xemnas let out a deep sigh as he turned the doorknob, bracing himself for the worst. The scene that Xemnas was greeted by would have been laughable if the other nurse in the room wasn't such a mean spirited woman. Zack was hiding under his blankets, his mismatched eyes wide as he peaked out from under the sheets. The stern faced nurse was holding a fork a piece of chicken firmly attached to it. The nurse lunged forward with the fork, causing Zack to back into the corner of his bed.

"Is there a problem ma'am?" Xemnas asked falteringly as the nurse turned her scowling face towards the silver haired teen.

"Can't get this patient to eat." The nurse grumbled.

"Don't worry ma'am, I'll take care of it. I'm sure he'll cooperate with me." Xemnas said as the nurse sat the fork on the tray capriciously. 

"Good luck with that." The woman grunted as she stomped out of the room.

"She's gone. You can come out now." Xemnas said after he was certain the nurse wasn't coming back. Zack appeared from under the blankets, breathing a heavy sigh of relief when he looked around and only saw Xemnas's shy smile.

"Thank God! You came just in time! If you had arrived any later I might have been dead!" Zack exclaimed melodramatically as he flapped his arms in the air.

"That's a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?" Xemnas asked as he sat next to Zack.

"She threatened to shove that fork up my ass if I didn't eat!" Zack said. Xemnas began to laugh, finding the threat a bit humorous.

"It's not funny." Zack whined childishly as he stuck his bottom lip out.

"I'm sorry." Xemnas said as his laughter died down to a giggle, finding the pout on Zack's face absolutely adorable. "It's just that she does things like that with most of her patients."

"Shouldn't she get fired for that!" Zack asked, surprised that it was even legal for a woman of that demeanor to be a nurse.

"Well she never actually _does_ the things she says she's going to do. She's all bark and no bite…or…_mostly_ all bark." Xemnas said truthfully.

"Damn, women are so confusing. That's one of the reasons I'm not attracted to them." Zack said as he laid on the bed. Xemnas's eyes widened at Zack's blunt confession. Zack didn't seem bothered by the way he had confessed his attraction to the same sex.

"So…you're not attracted to women at all? Not even in the least bit?" Xemnas asked disbelievingly. He didn't understand how someone that seemed so perfect couldn't be attracted to women.

"Nope, not at all. Or at least not sexually." Zack stated simply as he sat up and looked at Xemnas. "What? Does that make you uncomfortable?"

"Oh no! Not at all!" Xemnas said defensively. "To tell you the truth, I've never been attracted to them either…" Xemnas trailed off quietly. Zack was the only person he had ever confided this information to.

"Really now? Well that changes everything." Zack said with a smirk as Xemnas swallowed apprehensively. The look in Zack's eyes suggested that he had just discovered everything he needed to know, although Xemnas wasn't quite sure _what_ Zack had accomplished by figuring out his sexuality.

"So…why wouldn't you eat? Hospital food isn't _that_ bad is it?" Xemnas said in an attempt to change the subject. Zack looked down, slightly crestfallen as he opened his mouth to reply.

"It's not that. I'm a vegetarian, and this is the first time that someone's tried to get me to eat meat here."

"You don't eat meat at all?"

"Nope. I don't think it's right to kill animals." Zack said. Xemnas contemplated this for a moment.

"That's kind of ironic coming from a man who kills _people_ on a daily basis." Xemnas blurted out before he could think about what he was saying. Xemnas waited, anticipating that Zack would be extremely angry at him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-

"No, you're absolutely right. It's wrong of me to say that people shouldn't be killing animals when I'm the one that kills human beings for a pitiful cause. Neither one is quite right, are they?" Zack said softly, sorrow etched in his entire face. " I hate violent people, that's why I like you."

"You know, I'm not supposed to do this, but there's a really good vegetarian restaurant down the street. I could sneak down there and get you something." Xemnas said as he pointed towards the general direction of the restaurant.

"That's alright. I wouldn't want to get you in trouble." Zack said honestly as his stomach practically yelled at him in objection.

"Then again…"

"I'll go get you something right now." Xemnas said with a smirk.

Xemnas was back about twenty minutes later. He came back in Zack's room to find him writing, a scene that he was used to seeing quite frequently.

"Do you write every day?" Xemnas said as he closed the door, setting the food he had purchased on the table.

"Yeah, I write so my head doesn't explode." Zack said as he closed the notebook.

"I see." Xemnas said as he handed Zack his food. Zack took it gratefully and started swallowing it in large mouthfuls to tame his growling labyrinth of a stomach. Xemnas ate slowly, observing Zack's eagerness towards the meal.

"Damn that was good." Zack said. He leaned against the wall behind him, crossing his arms behind his head as he sighed deeply in contempt.

"Xemnas, you never told me how you managed to land a job as a doctor." Zack said suddenly.

"I'm not really a doctor. I'm more of a nurse at this point. The only reason you wound up being my patient was because of our shortage of doctors. I was the only nurse that Doctor Eiji, the man in charge around here, trusted with a patient in your condition."

"Shortage of doctors?"

"Because of the war. We used to have plenty, but most of them were either shipped off to fight or left town in fear of the war spreading."

"And you didn't want to leave?"

"I have nowhere to go."

"What?"

"Doctor Eiji found me in the outskirts of town when he was taking a trip with his family to the countryside. He said I was beat up pretty bad and rushed me back to his home to get me cleaned up. When I woke up, the first person I met was his wife. Nice woman, she is. She's a doctor that works here as well. Shortly after I met Mr. Eiji, he told me how he had found me and asked me who I was. I didn't know a single thing about myself. I just knew that my name was Xemnas. Every time I tried to think about anything else I came up with nothing, and I still don't know who I really am."

"That still doesn't answer how you became a nurse."

"I was getting to that, if you would be so kind not to interrupt." Xemnas scolded gently as he cleared his throat. "When I got my strength back, I started coming to this hospital with Doctor Eiji to observed his work. He soon found that I had a knack for healing people. His original plan was to help me through school, after it was decided that I should start as a sophomore in college. He wanted me to stay and be a part of his family, but…I couldn't do that…"

"Why not?"

"Because I would have been too much of a burden on them. They had two daughters. I've never met the older one that's a few years older than I am, but their younger daughter was just a baby when I met her. She was very sick. That poor baby was always in so much pain. They said there was something wrong with her heart, but the disease could never be pinpointed. She was always crying, so her parents never got much rest. I helped out sometimes, but I could only do so much. On top of taking care of a sick baby, they had to put their older daughter through college. I told the doctor I couldn't stay. He tried his best to change my mind, but I still refused. Since I wouldn't take his first offer, he gave me a job at the hospital instead. I already knew how to do most practices from watching him, so it was an easy enough job. I think Doctor Eiji gave me this job because he felt like he had to help me out somehow, even if it wasn't directly."

"And his daughter?" Zack asked.

"She died shortly after…" Xemnas said stiffly.

"I see…" Zack said as he clutched the sheets pooled around his waist. The room became awkwardly silent. Xemnas opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, trying to find something to say. As Xemnas started to speak, the door creaked open. Zack and Xemnas looked up to see a doctor standing in the doorway. Xemnas knew the man's face right away. It was the face that belonged to the man who had saved him over a year ago.

"Hey kids, just coming in to check on you." Doctor Eiji said, the age lines on his face stretching as he smiled. Zack took off his shirt as Doctor Eiji moved to give him a check up.

"So I understand you were the one that saved Xemnas." Zack said with a smile that was strangely nonexistent moments before.

"That's correct. Arrived just in time too. He would've bled to death if my wife and I hadn't found him."

"Blood?" Zack repeated a bit stupidly. Something in the Doctor Eiji's statement bothered him.

"Yes, lots of it. Had to use quite a few bandages. Hasn't bled once ever since, have you Xemnas?" 

"No sir. Not once." Xemnas said as his eyes met Zack's. He was a bit taken aback by the look he was greeted with. Zack's usually mild, thoughtful eyes were glaring at the doctor sharply, as if Doctor Eiji had revealed something that sounded a bit suspicious.

"You grew up in an orphanage in a distant town, didn't you?" Doctor Eiji asked peculiarly. The glare in Zack's eyes disappeared as quickly as it came as Zack looked at the doctor inquisitively. 

"That's correct."

"Funny, when I looked up your records I couldn't find any trace of the orphanage you claim to have grown up in."

"It burned to the ground the day I came of age and had to leave. Every file with information on that place was burned to ashes."

"That's what I figured. There was another soldier about your age brought here a couple of years ago. He claimed he was raised in an orphanage that burned to the ground as well. Probably the same one, come to think of it. Perhaps you know him. His name was Haydn, if I remember correctly."

"Yes, I know him. He's a very close friend of mine. Though I haven't seen him in a while, most of the time we're stationed to different posts." Zack said as he put his shirt back on. Doctor Eiji wrote something on his clip board and nodded approvingly.

"Everything looks okay. You'll be able to leave in a week." Doctor Eiji said as he left the room.

"Zack! Did you hear that! You can leave in a week! Isn't that great?" Xemnas said with false enthusiasm. The truth was that he didn't want Zack to leave. It might have seemed selfish, but he wanted nothing more than for Zack to stay with him, but Zack seemed to want nothing more than to leave. So, for Zack's sake, he decided to put his feelings aside and pretend that he was happy for Zack.

"Xemnas, do you mind if I write for a while?" Zack asked in a low voice, his mismatched eyes seeming troubled again. Zack tensed under Xemnas's observant amber eyes, indicating that he wished to be alone. Xemnas left the room, giving Zack the privacy he deserved.

One week later…

'_Zack's leaving today.' _Xemnas thought sadly as he walked through the stark, cold hospital and shifted his eyes back and forth from one sterile wall to the other. He knew that Zack was probably already gone, but he knew better than to go check Zack's room to find out for certain. If Zack was still there, he wasn't sure if he would be able to say goodbye. The last week had gone by in a blur. In that week, Xemnas had found himself staring at Zack for long periods of time, trying to soak up every single one of his features and memorize the rise and fall of his voice, so that Zack would stay engrained in his memory long after he left. He had grown to see Zack as his friend, and in his heart wished that he could have more than the dark haired man's friendship. Xemnas continued to walk down the hall, his footsteps falling heavier with each step he took. Xemnas's throat closed up as he passed Zack's room, a choked sort of noise emerging from his slightly parted lips as he noticed a nurse cleaning up the empty room. Zack was gone. 

Xemnas quickened his pace, wanting to leave that hospital room behind him forever and forget it had ever existed. Zack would most likely be dead before long, seeing as the war was killing hundreds of soldiers on both sides daily. Xemnas stopped in his tracks as this realization sunk in and made his heart drop to his stomach. A hand grabbed Xemnas's shoulder, the owner of it spinning him around and making him lean against the wall closest to him. Xemnas's amber eyes met a pair of mismatched embers as his heart skipped a beat. Zack leaned in, his warm breath caressing Xemnas's ear as he spoke.

"I just wanted to thank you…for everything…" Zack said as he pressed his lips to Xemnas's. Xemnas's mind grew fuzzy as Zack pulled him closer. He closed his eyes and responded to the other man's affection by wrapping his arms around his neck. As far as he could tell, Zack was the only think that existed.

* * *

Author's note: Yaaaaaaayyy! Another chapter! Please review! Good reviews make me happy and give me writing fuel! I'll try to post the next chapter asap. I've already got most of if written, but I'm also trying to edit chapters 1-6 as well. I'm planning on reposting them, so hopefully they'll be a more enjoyable read. 


	8. Aishiteru

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon,soriku,zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club.lol.i'm horrible. :D

Genre: Romance/humor/angst

Rating: T (possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: language,shounen-ai,and yaoi. 'nuff said. **SOME SEXUAL ACTIONS IN THIS CHAPTER!**

Author's Note: Oh yeah, new chapter! Just to let you know, I had to separate chapter eight into two chapters. (sorry guys, but you know I write a lot.) Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this one.

* * *

_End of Chapter Seven_

"_I just wanted to thank you…for everything…" Zack said as he pressed his lips to Xemnas's. Xemnas's mind grew fuzzy as Zack pulled him closer. He closed his eyes and responded to the other man's affection by wrapping his arms around his neck. As far as he could tell, Zack was the only thing that existed._

* * *

Chapter Eight: Aishiteru

(NOTE: THE ZACK IN MY STORY IS NOT IN ANY WAY RELATED TO ZACK FAIR FROM FINAL FANTASY!! I'm telling you cause this confused a couple of my reviewers. Sorry if this information disappoints you in any way. Sorry for the interruption, now on with the story!)

It had been nearly four months since Zack and Xemnas had shared their first kiss. Afterwards, Zack had asked Xemnas if he would go out with him. Xemnas had gladly agreed to, and then had shyly admitted that it was the first relationship he had ever been in. Zack had just laughed and kissed him again, saying that there was absolutely no shame in such a confession. Xemnas felt extremely lucky to have gotten involved with someone like Zack. Zack was one of the sweetest people he had ever met, although dating him did have its downsides. Zack was a soldier, and having to watch him go to work every day and not know if he would be back the next day was difficult. Xemnas was currently in this predicament. A month ago, Zack had gone to work and called that night, telling Xemnas that he had been assigned to fight further away. Zack wasn't supposed to be back for another month, and his absence was starting to take a toll on Xemnas. The silver haired teen gave a sigh of discontent as he strolled through the halls of Kochi University. His classes were over for the day and he just wanted to go home. Xemnas was pushed into a wall by an ongoing student as his cell phone started ringing. He started to fish through his book bag, one of his hands finally coming up with the cell phone. Xemnas answered it without even looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" Xemnas growled. He really wasn't in the mood for people today.

"Hey Xemmy."

"Zack?"

"Yep. You need someone to walk you home.?"

"I wish _you_ could, but you're out fighting in the war." Xemnas said grumpily.

"Guess again." Zack said, his voice suddenly sounding much closer. Xemnas turned around to see Zack standing behind him with his cell phone at his ear. Zack grabbed him, kissing Xemnas roughly on the lips before throwing him into a tight hug.

"I missed you." Zack said as he kissed Xemnas directly below the ear.

"Zack? But how-

"I have my connections." Zack said as he squeezed Xemnas's hand reassuringly. Zack had made friends with some of the higher ups that knew how to get around the rules.

"I'm glad you're back." Xemnas said timidly as he started to lean in to kiss Zack again when he heard a shrill, girly voice behind him.

"Oh Xemnas! Who's your friend?" Kourtney, the leader of the populars at Kochi University, who was known for picking on kids like Xemnas, asked as she walked up to Zack haughtily and pushed Xemnas out of the way, her friends trailing behind her.

"His name is Zack." Xemnas said through gritted teeth.

"Really? He's _very _cute." Kourtney said as she moved closer to Zack, running her hands up his chest as Zack gave her an odd look.

"Ah, Xemnas, I take it this is Kourtney?"

"Yeah." Xemnas said spitefully.

"Oh! You know my name?" Kourtney asked in superficial surprise.

"Xemnas has told me _all_ about you."

"Oh really? What did he tell you?"

"That you're a prissy, fake bitch that needs to start paying more attention to her school work instead of spending so much time working on her face before she fails and winds up flipping burgers for a living."

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me. And forget about trying to make me your boyfriend; it's not going to happen. I'm not really all that interested in women, and I've already got a boyfriend that's way cuter than any guy you'll ever have." Zack said as he pulled Xemnas towards him and kissed the smaller man passionately. Kourtney and her friends stared at the two in disbelief. Xemnas turned a deep shade of red as Zack pulled away and smiled sweetly at him. He then grabbed Xemnas's hand, silently leading him away from the gaping girls.

* * *

It had been about two months since Zack had come back. They were currently at a clearing in the woods; it was an area that Zack often used to train. The war was still going on and wasn't showing signs of stopping any time soon. Zack found himself going to work to train only to come home and train some more. But he knew that he needed to do this. Every minute spent training made him a better fighter, making him a more difficult target to hit, making his chances of dying a little bit slimmer.

'_Yeah right, like there's any way to make your chances of dying any smaller when you're at war.' _Zack thought bitterly. He knew that he was getting stronger and becoming a better soldier, but that did **not** make his chances of being killed in battle any less.

Xemnas had come with him today. He was working on papers for school while Zack trained. Although he was having trouble concentrating with a sweating, shirtless Zack making awkward grunting noises mere feet away! Xemnas peaked up at Zack through a short curtain of silver hair as the other continued to train. Zack eventually caught Xemnas's eye. Xemnas looked down at his papers, pretending to be working in hopes that Zack wouldn't think he had been staring.

"Like what you see?" Zack said in a teasing manner as Xemnas blushed fiercely, trying to come up with a plausible excuse as Zack kneeled next to him.

"Get up, I want to teach you something." Zack said as he grabbed Xemnas' hand and hoisted him to his feet. He then walked over to the place where he had been training and started digging through his bag of equipment, pulling out two dulled swords and tossing one of them to Xemnas.

"What do I need this for?" Xemnas asked, lifting up the sword and examining it at many different angles as though he had never seen anything like it before.

"I'm going to teach you the basics of sword combat."

"Why?"

"Because everyone should know how to defend themselves during a war. At times like this, you never know when your town could be attacked."

"B-but that's impossible! Rokugo could _never_ be attacked!" Xemnas said defiantly.

"Xemnas, you should realize by now that no place is safe during a war. You need to know how to defend yourself. If I wasn't there to protect you and something bad happened, I would never be able to forgive myself." Zack said as he clutched his dulled sword fearfully. The last thing he wanted to see was Xemnas get hurt.

"Now, the first thing we need to work on is your stance. Try to copy my movements." Zack said as he took a defensive stance, holding his sword out in front of him. Xemnas tried to mimic his movements, but Zack broke out in laughter moments later.

"What?!"

"I'm sorry, it's just your stance is completely wrong. Here, let me help you." Zack said as he adjusted Xemnas's posture. First he adjusted the way Xemnas's hands were placed on his sword and then fixed the way he was standing. Zack came up behind him, placing his hands on Xemnas's hips and turning them the right way.

"There we go. Perfect." Zack said as he pressed himself against Xemnas and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. Xemnas turned extremely red as a result, trying to maintain the posture that Zack had taught him.

So Zack taught Xemnas about sword combat for the next few hours. Xemnas eventually fell to the ground in a heap of sweat out of pure exhaustion. Zack sat next to him, barely sweating at all under the intense sun. Zack and Xemnas moved to the safety of the shade of a tree as Xemnas leaned against Zack.

"Damn, I didn't realize I was so out of shape. Look at you! You barely broke a sweat!"

"That's because I do this every day." Zack said as he pulled Xemnas's sweaty body closer to his own, enjoying the contact with the younger man despite the heat. "You'll get better. You just need some practice, that's all. I think you really have some potential."

Xemnas snorted loudly into Zack's chest as he said, "Yeah, _sure_ I do."

"What? I'm dead serious!" Zack said as he looked down at Xemnas. Amber eyes met his mismatched ones as Xemnas started speaking.

"Like _I_ would ever be able to do everything that _you_ can do."

"You could, if you let me keep training you."

"I would like that." Xemnas said as he buried his face into Zack's neck. They remained silent for a while, just enjoying each other's company and the beautiful day before them.

"Xemnas?"

"Hmm?"

"Does it ever bother you that you don't know who you really are?" Zack asked, curious to see what the boy would say.

"You mean how I don't remember anything that happened before Dr. Eiji found me? No, it doesn't really bother me. It doesn't matter who I was back then because I know who I am now. And although the people at school don't like me very much, I still have Mr. and Mrs. Eiji, and now I have you too."

"Well I guess when you put it like that, it really doesn't matter what kind of background you used to have."

"Does it ever bother you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You spent your entire life in an orphanage, right? Doesn't it ever bother you that you don't know who you are?"

"…Yes…I did grow up in an orphanage. But I guess it never really mattered because the other kids in the orphanage were like family to me. Especially my buddy Haydn. He's like the brother I never had. I hope you get to meet him one day." Zack said.

"You know Xemnas, I've never been sure of who I really am, but now that I'm with you, I think I might be figuring it out." Zack said as he leaned forward and kissed Xemnas deeply.

Six months later…

Zack and Xemnas were in the clearing of the woods training. Xemnas had progressed extremely fast in the past six months, but he was still no match for Zack.

Xemnas desperately tried to hit Zack, who moved around Xemnas's attacks effortlessly as he waited for the perfect opportunity to hit the younger man. Xemnas forgot to keep his guard up, a mistake he often made, which gave Zack the perfect opportunity to direct a hit at Xemnas's neck. Zack swung his dulled sword at Xemnas's neck, expecting it to hit. Instead, Xemnas ducked and quickly jabbed his sword into Zack's gut. Zack grunted and stepped back a bit, clutching his stomach in the process. Xemnas blinked as if he were making sure he had actually hit the elder man.

"Good hit Xemnas. If that had been a sharp sword it could have killed me." Zack said approvingly as he fell into the grass under the shade of a tree, motioning for Xemnas to do the same. Xemnas fell next to Zack, his heart pounding as he tried to catch his breath.

"You're getting pretty good at this." Zack said as he rolled over to face Xemnas. "That was the first time you've been able to hit me." Xemnas nodded sheepishly, about to drift into sleep, but Zack seemed to have other plans.

Xemnas squeaked as Zack ran a hand up his side. It started at his thigh and worked its way up to his hips and lingered there for a while, memorizing Xemnas's delicate curves. The hand then slid to Xemnas's well toned waist that had developed from their months of training. Zack's hand went to Xemnas's tanned chest, caressing one of the pert nipples. Xemnas let out a soft moan as he leaned into the touch, grabbing Zack's hips attentively and grinding their hips together. Zack kissed Xemnas, biting down on his bottom lip to ask for entrance.

Xemnas held Zack's curious tongue in question before granting it entrance by opening his mouth sparingly. Zack eagerly slipped his warm, wet tongue past Xemnas's teeth and caressed the roof of his soft, impassionate mouth. Xemnas let out a throaty moan as he pushed his own tongue against Zack's. Zack responded by kissing back, their tongues dancing around one another as Zack ran his fingers through Xemnas's hair, his fingernails lightly scraping the scalp. Xemnas whimpered as Zack pulled away, wondering why the other had decided to stop.

"It's getting late, I better get you home." Zack said as he pecked Xemnas's forehead reassuringly. Xemnas threw his shirt back over his head and stood up, grabbing Zack's hand as they walked off into the setting sun.

Seven months later…

"Xemnas walked through the crisp, newly fallen snow as he tried to make his way through a body of students. The first day of their winter holiday had started and everyone was trying to get home as quickly as possible. Xemnas grumbled in annoyance as a snowball went whizzing past his head. Xemnas was about to storm off when someone grasped his hand. Xemnas twisted around to see Zack standing in front of him, grinning as if he hadn't seen Xemnas in months when in reality they had seen each other a few days before.

"Zack? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"I got out early so I decided to come pick you up. But I'm glad I found you, I need to talk to you about something." Zack said as he pulled Xemnas into an empty classroom.

"And wee need to discuss this matter in an empty classroom?" Xemnas asked facetiously.

"I figured I should talk with you somewhere a little more private." Zack said as he fidgeted in place. Xemnas got the inclination that Zack was nervous about something.

"Well go on then, you can tell me." Xemnas said encouragingly, knowing that Zack almost never got nervous.

"We've been dating for almost a year and a half now…and…I was wondering…if you would move in with me." Zack said the first part rather hesitantly, while he sped the last part of his sentence up considerably.

"You're serious?!"

"Would I ever lie to you?"

"No…"

"Then lets get back to your place and pack your things." Zack said as he wrapped his arms around Xemnas's waist and drew him in for a kiss.

"Okay." Xemnas said as he smiled into Zack's kiss. Zack's hand left Xemnas's waist to travel down to his firm ass. Xemnas gasped in surprised as Zack grabbed it. Zack used it as an advantage and slipped his tongue into Xemnas's mouth. Their tongues fought a battle of dominance for a few moments before Zack pulled away to nibble on Xemnas's ear lobe and tugged on it slightly. Xemnas yelped as Zack bit down on his ear. Zack kissed the ear apologetically as he moved down to Xemnas's neck and sucked on the skin there. Xemnas let out a deep moan as his hand moved up Zack's shirt, feeling soft, pale skin as his hand grazed his hardened nipples. Zack responded to the sensitive touch by sucking harder on the tan neck, one of his hands leaving Xemnas's ass to move up to his pants. As Zack's hand started to reach down them, they both heard someone squeak. Xemnas and Zack separated to see a girl about Zack's age standing in the doorway, looking completely embarrassed. Xemnas immediately recognized her as the girl who was said to have had a crush on him last year. It was the same girl who used to hang out with Kourtney and her friends.

"I'm sorry, I just needed to get my sketch pad, but I'll come back later!" The flustered girl said as she ran for the door. In her haste to abandon the awkward situation, she tripped over a table and fell on her face. Xemnas bent down, picking up the girl's things as well as the sketch pad she had come looking for in the first place.

"I believe these belong to you." Xemnas said as he helped the girl to her feet and handed her belongings back.

"Thank you." The girl said quietly, bowing her head in apology as she turned to leave again. Xemnas grabbed her wrist to stop her actions.

"Wait, you don't have to be sorry. We shouldn't have been in here in the first place. Blame him, it was _his_ idea." Xemnas said as he pointed at Zack accusingly.

"It's not like you were resisting…" Zack said argumentatively as a pout formed on his face. Xemnas laughed lightly before turning to look back at the girl.

"If you don't mind me asking, how do you even know who I am? I bet you heard about me from Kourtney and her friends, right?"

"…No, I'm Dr. Eiji's daughter. My name's Misa."

"Oh!" Xemnas exclaimed in surprise. As he looked at Misa, he noticed that she looked a lot like her father. She had the same dark brown hair, and her eyes contained a certain brightness that Xemnas was sure could once be seen in Dr. Eiji's tired eyes.

"I know we haven't really met in person, but my father speaks highly of you." Misa said as she walked with the two men. Now that Xemnas had lightened the mood a little bit, she didn't seem to be as nervous or uncomfortable as she was before.

"I've heard a lot about you too. How come you were never around while I was recovering at your house?"

"I was extremely busy with school. When I was around I had to take care of my sister, and you were always asleep, so I never got to formally introduce myself."

"I'm guessing you want to be a doctor like your parents?"

Misa gave a short laugh at the question as she said, "Hardly, I'm majoring in art history. I want to be an art teacher and own my own gallery. I plan on moving away and going to an art school, that is, if they except me." Misa said as if she had no hope of getting in to the art school of her dreams.

"I'm sure you'll be excepted." Xemnas said encouragingly. "Your father's shown me your artwork. You're really good."

"Thank you." Misa said quietly as a small blush made its way across her face. "So what are you guys planning on doing over the holiday?"

"Well first things first, getting Xemmy settled into my apartment." Zack said as he pulled Xemnas closer and nuzzled his face into his silver hair and inhaled deeply to take in Xemnas's scent.

"How many times have I asked you not to call me that?" Xemnas said as his face stained a bright red.

"Well how about Xem-Xem? Or I could call you Xemmy-chan." Zack said tauntingly as he let go of Xemnas, the other swatting him away impatiently.

"You can't stick to Xemnas?"

"Nope."

"…Then I'll stick with Xemmy."

"I thought you might say that."

"I can help you guys with the moving if you want." Misa said suddenly. Zack and Xemnas turned and eyed her questioningly.

"Huh?" They both stated in unison.

"If you haven't hired any movers, it's going to take a while to pack up all of Xemnas's things and drive them back and forth between apartment complexes. I can make the whole process go a little faster if you let me help out." Misa said as she walked towards the parking lot, as if the decision had already been made.

"You don't have to do that. You just met us." Xemnas said as he picked up his pace to catch up with the determined girl.

"I know, but I want to. I don't have anything to do today, and besides, I owe you."

"What do you mean by you "owe" me?" Xemnas asked curiously.

Misa stopped, turning around to look at Xemnas. " You made my father happy at a time in his life where it seemed there was nothing to _be_ happy about. That's the best thing I could ever ask for."

Xemnas nodded, deciding that he would accept her offer to help him move into Zack's apartment. Misa and her family had suffered so much after losing the baby, so if she felt she needed to help him move for her own consolation, then he should at least give her that much.

* * *

Misa and Xemnas became friends rather quickly. They spent a lot of time together over the winter holiday, and soon found that they had gained each other's friendship. Misa had also introduced Xemnas to her other friends, who had excepted him immediately. Xemnas had found out through Misa that she had stopped hanging out with Kourtney and her friends. She had decided that the populars weren't the kind of people she wanted to be friends with. Misa's friends had also readily excepted his relationship with Zack. He found it beautiful to be surrounded by people who didn't judge you by your looks or rumors that had been spread around school.

'_It's nice to see him finally have some friends.' _Zack thought as he continued to make dinner. He was cooking because he knew Xemnas would be exhausted by the time he got home from work and would need to eat. Another batch of soldiers had been brought into the hospital and Xemnas had been working overtime for the past week.

'_And all the while still managing to keep up with college __**and**__ spend time with me.' _Zack inquired as he heard the front door open. He turned to see and irritated looking Xemnas sitting on the couch, his eyes full of surprise as they turned to look at Zack.

"What are you doing?"

"Making dinner."

"You don't have to do that." Xemnas said as he stood behind Zack and tried to take control of the stove. Zack pushed his away from the stove gently and wrapped his arms around him.

"Yes, I do. You work too hard at the hospital to come home and have to work even more." Zack whispered in Xemnas's ear before moving to kiss the other's forehead.

"What about you? It's not like you don't work all the time."

"True, but what you have to do is much more difficult than what I have to do."

"I would have to disagree with that, but I have a feeling I'm going to lose this argument."

"You got it." Zack said as he turned off the stove. He took Xemnas's hand, leading him to the couch and laying him down. Zack climbed on top of Xemnas, kissing his lips with purpose as he snaked on arm around Xemnas's slim waist and used the other to caress the younger man's face. Zack slipped his tongue into Xemnas's awaiting mouth. Xemnas slid his hands down to Zack's hips, clumsily feeling for the button and zipper on his pants. Once he found it, Xemnas unbuttoned and unzipped the other's pants and used one of his eager hands to reach into Zack's boxers. Zack moaned as Xemnas firmly grasped his cock, pulling down Zack's boxers to reveal a fully exposed, fully aroused manhood. Xemnas blushed at the sight and at his spontaneous actions. Zack surprised Xemnas by returning the favor. Zack pulled Xemnas's pants and boxers down at the same time, revealing that Xemnas was just as aroused as he was.

The smaller of the two blushed as he noticed Zack looking him up and down hungrily. Zack's hand traveled down, Xemnas letting a surprised gasp emerge as Zack ran a curious hand up his member. Xemnas bucked his hips, silently telling Zack that he wanted more. Zack complied, teasingly brushing his thumb over the slit, causing Xemnas to whimper in need. Xemnas reached between the both of them, grabbing Zack once again. Zack let himself growl playfully as he leaned down to whisper in Xemnas's ear.

"Are you sure?" Zack asked carefully, not wanting to go any further than Xemnas was willing to go. Xemnas gave Zack's member a tight squeeze in response. Zack took Xemnas's actions as permission and started pumping Xemnas wildly. Xemnas followed his example, following Zack's rhythm as they pumped each other. A few minutes later, Xemnas knew that he unfortunately wasn't going to last much longer as he felt himself tighten under Zack's grip.

"Zack…I'm not…I'm going to…" Xemnas said as he felt himself cum in Zack's hand. Xemnas turned a deep shade of red as he hid his face, ashamed that he had released so quickly.

"I'm sorry…"

"You have nothing to be sorry about Xemmy. That was your first time."

"I know, but still…" Xemnas said uncertainly.

"It's okay, I promise. We can always practice…say, later tonight." Zack whispered suggestively in Xemnas's ear before he stood up.

"But wait! What about you?' Xemnas asked as he eyed Zack's erection.

"What, this?" Zack said as he pointed down. "It'll be fine." Zack finished as he reached for his previously discarded pants. Xemnas's eyes narrowed as an idea popped into his head.

"No, it won't be." Xemnas said as he grabbed Zack's arm and yanked him back down on the couch. Zack's discordant eyes widened in surprise as Xemnas climbed on top of him and kissed him roughly, promptly moving to Zack's neck and biting the tender skin. Zack moaned as he grabbed Xemnas's bare ass, causing Xemnas to give uncontrived squeak. Zack chuckled at Xemnas's reaction as he kissed the boy's head apologetically for startling him. Xemnas's amber eyes lit up mischievously as he crawled down, eventually finding himself kneeled between Zack's legs.

"Xemmy, what are you-

Zack's question was cut off as he groaned in ecstasy. Xemnas had licked the tip of his member curiously before wrapping his soft lips around it fully. Zack moaned as Xemnas began to suck hard on his member. Zack bucked up into Xemnas's mouth, causing the other to gag. Zack ran his fingers through Xemnas's hair apologetically, knowing that Xemnas couldn't handle taking him in his mouth any further, but, what Xemnas was doing was more than good enough. Zack watched the younger males face. Even through Xemnas's closed eyes, Zack could tell that Xemnas was pleased with the noises he was receiving. Xemnas sucked harder, wanting to see the type of reaction he would get from Zack. The dark haired male tightened his grip in Xemnas's hair, feeling that his release was coming soon.

"Xemnas…pull back now if you don't want me to…ngh…" Zack grunted, releasing himself into Xemnas's awaiting mouth. Xemnas hurriedly swallowed the substance, not minding the taste very much. When he was done, Xemnas looked back up at Zack sheepishly.

"Was that okay?" Xemnas asked uncertainly.

"Xemnas, you amaze me." Zack said as he pulled Xemnas into his lap.

"You know, I wouldn't mind if we took it further…" Xemnas trailed off. Zack thought for a moment, thinking about what he was going to say next very carefully.

"Xemnas, as much as I want to…I can't put you through that." Zack said slowly.

"What? Why not?"

"Xemnas I-

"Do you not think I'm good enough?" Xemnas asked nervously.

"No! It's not that at all! I'm just afraid I'll hurt you…"

"But-

"Xemnas, I'd really be more comfortable if we waited. Can you do that for me?" Zack asked as he wrapped his arms around the smaller man.

"Yeah…I can do that. If that's what you really want." Xemnas said as he buried his head into Zack's chest.

"C'mon, get up. Dinner's going to get cold." Zack said as he tried to pry Xemnas off of him.

"I'm not that hungry." Xemnas said as he tightened his grip around Zack's waist. Xemnas's stomach rumbled defiantly. Zack laughed as Xemnas let go of his waist.

"You're a bad liar Xem-Xem." Zack said as he put his pants back on and headed towards the kitchen.

Five months later…

Xemnas had graduated a few weeks before and the long awaited summer vacation was finally there. Xemnas wanted to do his best to enjoy it, but it was hard to do so with all of the extra hours he was putting in at the hospital. Xemnas trudged his way home, wanting nothing more than to get something to eat and go to sleep. Xemnas got to the front door, fumbling with his keys before finding the right one and turning the lock. Xemnas stumbled inside, setting his things down and jumping slightly when someone grabbed him from behind. Xemnas turned around to see Zack standing in front of him, grinning as if he had never been happier to see anyone in his life.

"I'm glad you're home." Zack said as he pulled Xemnas into a hug and kissed his forehead.

Xemnas gladly excepted the warm embrace, burying his face into Zack's neck and taking in his musky scent. "I'm glad to be home too. If I have to deal with one more bratty little kid that doesn't want to get their shots or another senile old woman who thinks I'm her _granddaughter _I might lose it." Xemnas said as Zack snorted at the statement.

"It's not funny." Xemnas whined. He remained in Zack's arms for a moment before his face contorted in contemplation, as though he had remembered something he had been told quite previously.

"Wait, what are you doing home? You're supposed to be working at the base for the next week." Xemnas said as he looked at Zack quizzically.

"I pulled a few strings. I'd much rather spend my time with you than at work." Zack said as he drew the shorter man in for a kiss. Xemnas smiled as he leaned into the kiss, pulling away briefly to look around the room in confusion.

"Why are the lights dimmed?" Xemnas asked, noticing the room was considerably darker that it normally was.

"I have a surprise for you." Zack said as he covered Xemnas's eyes and led him into the living room. Xemnas's eyes widened as Zack uncovered them. Before him was a table, set with two brightly lit candles and intricately designed plates and silverware.

"What's all this for?" Xemnas asked incredulously as Zack handed him a bouquet of roses.

"I figured I should repay you for all the hard work that you've done." Zack said as he laced his fingers with Xemnas's.

"You shouldn't have…"

"I know, but I did it because I love you." Zack said as he kissed Xemnas and led him over to the table to enjoy the meal that Zack had prepared.

The two talked for a while, enjoying the meal and each other's company. They soon found themselves talking about the future and what they were going to do with it.

"We've been together for nearly two years now, haven't we?" Zack asked as he lightly ran his thumb over Xemnas's hand.

"Hmm…that sounds about right." Xemnas said, wondering where Zack was going with this. He thought that Zack seemed a bit distracted, as though he were trying to find the right words to say.

"Is there something wrong?" Xemnas asked in concern. Zack smiled and shook his head.

"No, just thinking about how I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Zack stated as he got down on one knee. Xemnas stared at Zack, shocked beyond all belief.

"Depends. If you think I'm just bending down to tie my shoe, then no. But if you think I'm asking you to marry me, then yes. So what do you think Xemmy, do you want to-

Zack grunted as he was practically tackled to the ground by a squealing Xemnas. Zack didn't get a chance to comment on the reaction, considering the next thing Xemnas did was practically smother him with kisses.

"I'll take that as a yes." Zack muttered against Xemnas's lips. He could feel the other smiling, and briefly wondered if he would live to see the future he wanted so badly with the man of his dreams.

* * *

Author's Note: God, I had a hard time writing that scene with Xemnas and Zack in their apartment when they got a little…ahem…frisky. I hope it turned out alright. Anyway, leave reviews please! You know I love them! XD


	9. The Ghost of You

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon, soriku, zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club.lol.i'm horrible. :D I also do not own some of the names of places in this fic. Some of them are the names of rural Japanese towns, but the attitude and description that I give the towns are all mine.)

Genre: Romance/humor/angst/action/tragedy

Rating: T(possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: Shounen-ai/yaoi, language. **OC'S AND MENTIONS OF MPREG IN THIS CHAPTER AS WELL!!**

Author's Note: Well this is chapter nine, which will be the last chapter that is placed in the past. Hope you enjoy this one!

* * *

_End of Chapter Eight:_

"_Depends. If you think I'm just bending down to tie my shoe, then no. But if you think I'm asking you to marry me, then yes. So what do you think Xemmy, do you want to-_

_Zack grunted as he was practically tackled to the ground by a squealing Xemnas. Zack didn't get a chance to comment on the reaction, considering the next thing Xemnas did was practically smother him with kisses._

"_I'll take that as a yes." Zack muttered against Xemnas's lips. He could feel the other smiling, and briefly wondered if he would live to see the future he wanted so badly with the man of his dreams._

Chapter Nine- The Ghost of You

(Don't just skim this chapter if you are one of those people that do that in long chapters. There's important stuff in this chapter that will need to be remembered for later chapters!!)

The end of summer was approaching, which meant that Xemnas was saying goodbye to many of the friends he had made through meeting Misa. Most of them were leaving because they were going to different Universities to pursue higher degrees, but there were still others who left because the fear the war had induced in them. Xemnas waved goodbye sadly as the last car drove off into the sunset.

"Don't worry, they'll be back. They all promised to come to our wedding, remember?" Zack said comfortingly.

"Yeah, I know." Xemnas said as he turned to Misa. "I guess we'll be seeing you off tomorrow Misa?" Xemnas knew what the answer would be, but he felt like he had to ask. Misa had gotten into the art school of her dreams. Xemnas knew that she would want to leave no matter what the circumstance was.

"No." Misa said unexpectedly.

"What?" Both Zack and Xemnas said in astonishment. Misa had been dreaming of going to a big art school since she was a little girl, so it was an odd occurrence that she was deciding against going.

"There's no way I could leave with the way the war is progressing. My parents need me here. Besides, art school can wait. It'll always be there and I'll be here for a long time as well. I have plenty of time to live out my dreams. My family is more important to me right now." Misa stated as she stared into the distance, her eyes glittering in wonder as she pondered what was laying beyond the horizon.

"That's very kind of you Misa." Xemnas said as he gave a sad smile, his tired eyes lighting up for a brief second, knowing that he wasn't alone in the world.

Six months later…

Xemnas walked through the streets carrying bags of groceries in his arms. Zack's friend Haydn was finally coming to visit. He had managed to get himself moved to Zack's military post, at least for the time being. Xemnas kicked open the front door, stepping inside the apartment and saying hello to Misa, who was also staying for dinner. As he sat the groceries down on the dining room table he sniffed the air and smelled something sweet coming from the kitchen. Xemnas looked towards the kitchen curiously, his nose following the scent.

Xemnas drifted into the kitchen to find Zack in a pink apron, complete with a chef's hat and baking mittens. Xemnas stared at Zack blankly, briefly wondering what the hell his fiancé was doing.

"Zack…what the hell are you doing?" Xemnas said aloud.

"Baking cookies." Zack said merrily as he practically waltzed around the kitchen.

"You never mentioned you could bake." Xemnas aid as he walked over to the oven and eyed the half baked cookies curiously.

"It's a hobby I haven't been able to pursue in a while." Xemnas snorted as Zack's appearance started to sink in. Seeing Zack in a pink, frilly apron wasn't something you came across every day.

"And I thought you said _I _was the wifey in this relationship." Said Xemnas teasingly as he wiped a bit of flour off of Zack's nose.

"You are! Can't a man do something nice for his wife every once in a while!" Zack said in his usual mock theatrical drama.

"You're such a drama queen. But I have to admit, you do look pretty cute in an apron." Xemnas said as he kissed Zack lovingly. When they pulled away from one another, Xemnas noticed that Zack still had quite a bit of flour on him.

"What happened? Did you get in a fight with a bad of flour and lose?" Xemnas asked jokingly as he tried to rub away the flour on Zack's face.

"Maybe…I might just happen to be flour challenged. But I think it would be better if you had some too." Zack said as he threw a bit of flour at Xemnas. Xemnas grunted indignantly as he tried to rid himself of the white powder. Zack took advantage of the distraction and cornered Xemnas into the side of the kitchen counter.

"You're just as cute covered in flour as you are without it." Zack said as he eyed Xemnas up and down, his eyes finally landing on the boy's neck. Zack leaned in, breathing hot air into Xemnas's ear, causing him to shiver, as he moved further down, finally biting the sensitive skin on Xemnas's neck. A groan escaped Xemnas's lips as he desperately grabbed the fabric of Zack's shirt, ultimately trying to decide if he should push Zack away or pull him closer.

"Ngh…Zack…stop. Misa's in the other room." Xemnas grunted as he tried to detach his fiancé from his neck. This only encouraged Zack to close the space between them.

"Hmm, that's alright. She'd probably enjoy the show." Zack whispered between kisses.

"What?! Misa's not like that!" exclaimed Xemnas. His attempts to push Zack away were becoming weaker and weaker by the second as teasing lips continued to torture the throbbing vain in his neck.

"Yeah, _sure_ she isn't Xemmy. She acts all cute and innocent on the outside, but I bet she's a yaoi fan girl on the inside." Zack said as he moved his head slightly to lick the shell of Xemnas's ear.

"But what about Haydn? He could be here any moment!" Xemnas said as he struggled to not give in to Zack's temptation.

"No he won't. Haydn's always late." Zack said as his hands slipped down to Xemnas's ass, causing the other man to gasp in surprise. Zack took this opportunity to slip his tongue into Xemnas's mouth. A throaty moan emitted from Xemnas as his hands found their way under Zack's shirt, fingering soft skin. Xemnas's hands moved up, feeling Zack's hardened abs as he-

"Whoa kids, settle down." A voice unfamiliar to Xemnas said suddenly. Zack irritatingly pulled away from Xemnas as he turned towards the voice.

"Haydn, you're on time for once." said Zack. Xemnas took this opportunity to look up from where his head was buried in Zack's shoulder to lay eyes on Haydn for the first time.

Haydn was much shorter than Zack. In fact, he was a few inches shorter than Xemnas and much thinner. Xemnas vaguely wondered how someone that was so small could survive in a war, but speculated that he had his ways just as Zack did. Haydn's hair was a deep brown that would fall at his shoulders had it not been pulled back in a ponytail. His skin was fair, though not nearly as fair as Zack's.

"Well, I figured since I haven't seen you in a while, I might as well be on time." Haydn said, a cigarette dangling from his mouth as he spoke.

"Did Misa let you in?"

"Who? That girl with the sketchpad? Nah, I let myself in. The door was unlocked."

"Figures. And don't smoke in my house! You know I can't stand the smell!" Zack said as he took the cigarette from Haydn's mouth and put it out on his shoe.

"Sorry about that." Haydn said as he pulled out a chair from a nearby table and sat the guitar that had previously been on his back in it. He then walked up to Xemnas, locking his almond shaped, forest green eyes with the younger man's amber ones.

"So I take it your Xemnas?" Haydn asked curiously. Xemnas nodded quietly.

"Has he been treating you right?" Haydn asked as he pointed in Zack's direction.

"Yes, I think he's treated me better than I deserve."

"And have _you_ been treating _him_ right?" Haydn asked as his eyes narrowed suspiciously,

"What? Of course."

"Good, because if you weren't I'd have to kill you."

"Stop it Haydn, you're scaring him." Zack said as he hit Haydn over the head lightly.

"Excuse him, he likes to mess with people sometimes." Zack said to Xemnas as he slung an arm over Haydn's shoulders.

"Yep, I sure do. But don't worry kid, I didn't mean it." Haydn said playfully as he removed Zack's arm.

"_Anyway_, Xemnas? Why don't you start dinner? I have to talk to Haydn in private for a while. You don't mind, right? I haven't seen him in person for over a year." Zack said as Xemnas shook his head understandingly. Xemnas stayed in the kitchen as Zack and Haydn moved into the living room to speak in private. They both sat down opposite of each other.

"When you told me he was different, this was the last thing I expected." Haydn said as he eyed Zack.

"It's not like I could tell you what he really is, the phone lines could have been tapped." Zack argued back.

"True. It won't be long before we aren't able to talk in the privacy of our own homes." Haydn said calmly, as if he had known it would happen all along.

"I know. That's why we need to figure out what to do before it's too late." Zack said a bit furtively with a hint of on-coming panic in his bright, mismatched eyes.

"I fear it may already be too late for you my friend." Haydn said solemnly. Zack's eyes widened in shock at his friends words.

"What do you mean by that?" Zack's usually loving eyes had narrowed considerably.

"You engaged to one of _them_."

"That doesn't matter. You know that everything they've said about people like Xemnas is a complete lie!"

"That won't stop them from coming after him. And when they find him, they'll kill both of you."

"That won't happen."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I've been putting Rikiddo in anything he uses to bath and anything he wears to mask his scent. It's completely colorless and has no smell to him, but they wont be able to scent him for miles."

"True…my sensitive nose couldn't even detect him….but what about his blood Zack? It's miraculous that he hasn't bled once since his awakening, but what will you do when he accidentally cuts himself one day? He'll no something's wrong with him."

"That won't happen. I've been sneaking a potion very similar to Rikiddo into his food and drinks every month that turns his blood red."

"Well at least you've made some use of what you learned while we were on the other side." Haydn snorted sarcastically.

"That's not funny. You know very well that I'm doing this because I have no other choice!" Zack yelled furiously as he stood up and slammed his fists on the table.

"Calm down. You don't want him to hear us do you?" Haydn asked, keeping his face completely neutral to Zack's anger. Zack took a deep breath and sat down, trying to keep himself calm.

"That's better. It's things like that that'll get you killed. If they get close enough they'll be able to sense your vulnerability.

"I know I've become a bit more vulnerable Haydn, but can you blame me for that? I'm in love with him."

"And you should both give up your _lives_ because of it?"

"Like you would understand anything about it!" Zack shot back.

"You act as if I've never loved before." Haydn said quietly, his eyes tinted with a kind of hurt that you could only see if you looked closely enough.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to say it like that." Zack said apologetically.

"It's alright, I know you must be stressed. Having to deal with the war and protecting Xemnas has to be tough." Haydn said understandingly. He didn't come all the way to Rokugo to fight with Zack, so he might as well get along with him.

"What's been even harder is trying to get Dr. Eiji to take his family and leave town." Zack said earnestly. Just as Zack said this, Xemnas walked by the door. He stopped in his tracks at what he heard.

'_Trying to get Dr. Eiji and his family to leave town? But why?' _Xemnas thought as he quietly pressed his ear to the door. He wanted to respect Zack's whished and give him and his friend time to talk alone, but his curiosity was getting the better of him.

"I tried to do the same thing when I was in the hospital. He refuses to leave. Says there's too many people that need his help at the hospital.. It's just plain selfless stupidity. He'll let them kill him before he gives them information about his experiments." Haydn said.

'_This is silly. I'm sure they're talking about a different doctor. I shouldn't invade Zack's privacy like this.' _Xemnas thought as he went to move back to the kitchen, but something Zack said caught his attention again.

"This is what happens when humans get involved in affairs they don't fully understand. There are a lot of people just like him. But what makes his case even worse is that his baby had to die because of his mistakes." Zack stated solemnly, his eyes cast down at the table.

'_The doctor's baby? They are talking about Dr. Eiji! What do they mean by experiments?' _Xemnas thought as he anxiously pressed his ear against the door.

"I know. But soon enough they'll _all_ be dead because of his mistakes." Haydn stated bluntly.

"I don't want it to come to that!" Zack said through clenched teeth. "They're good people; they don't deserve to die!"

"But you know he won't tell them about his findings or give them Xemnas's location. They've been protecting him like he's their own son since the day they found him."

"It's funny. All this time they've been fighting to keep him alive and he has no clue. And even if he did, he wouldn't know _why _they have to fight for his survival.' Zack said bitterly. Xemnas raised a shaky hand to the door, not wanting to hear anymore of what Zack had to say.

"Zack? Haydn? Dinners almost ready." Xemnas tried to keep his voice steady. Something about Zack and Haydn's conversation made him uneasy.

"Alright Xemmy, we'll be there in a minute." Xemnas heard Zack say from the other side of the door. Xemnas nodded although he knew the two men on the other side couldn't see him and had no clue that he had just overheard something they had never intended him to hear.

Dinner went by smoothly. Xemnas acted as he normally did. He figured he shouldn't give off any body language that suggested that he might have heard anything. Haydn and Zack were being themselves as well. It was like the argument they had had earlier had never existed.

"I'm glad you're both vegetarians. That made it easier for me while I was cooking." Xemnas said as he cleaned up dishes. Zack helped him clean up along the way.

"That's so odd. You two are best friends and you both don't eat any meat?" Misa said.

"Yep. When you grow up in an orphanage you aren't too keen on eating the meat, even when you're starving." Haydn said.

"Why?" Misa asked.

"…The meat was just a little too fresh for my taste."

"You mean undercooked?" Misa asked uncertainly.

"Yeah…sure. So, Zackary. When are you two planned on getting hitched?" Haydn asked curiously, apparently not wanting to talk about his past experiences with meat any longer. Xemnas laughed at Haydn calling Zack by his full name. It was something he didn't hear very often.

"Don't get any ideas Xemnas. Haydn's known me his whole life and he's barely allowed to call me Zackary." Zack said. "We planned on getting married in about two months."

"I'll have to be there." Haydn said. "Is that your sketchbook?" Haydn asked as his eyes fell on the sketchpad that was lying innocently on the dining room table.

"Um, yes."

"Can I see it?" Haydn asked. Misa stretched across the table to hand Haydn the sketchpad.

"I've always been interested in art, but unfortunately I've never been very good at it. That's why I stick to music." Haydn said as he flipped through the book, examining each picture carefully. His eyes seemed to light up a little bit more with each sketch that he looked at. "You're quite good. You'll do well in art school." Haydn said, sniggering as he fell to one sketch near the back of the book.

"You're quite the pervert." Haydn said with a smirk. "You look cute and innocent, but you're not." Haydn said teasingly.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Misa suddenly looked very flustered. "Oh, look at the time! I have to go now!" Misa said as she grabbed her sketchbook and practically jumped out of the front door.

"…What just happened?" Xemnas asked curiously.

"She's got some very detailed shounen-ai and yaoi drawings in the back of her sketchbook. Most of them are of you two." Haydn stated simply. Xemnas blushed and Zack let out a bark-like laugh.

"Told you she was a pervert." Zack threw in Xemnas's direction.

"It's always the innocent looking ones you've got to look out for." Haydn said as he raised an eyebrow at Xemnas. "Watch out Zack, this one might cause some trouble." Haydn said as he pointed at Xemnas jokingly. Xemnas turned even redder as Zack and Haydn continued to laugh until the sound of a cell phone broke through the noise. Haydn pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and answered it.

"Hello? Yes, this is he. What? But why-okay. I understand." Haydn hung up his cell phone and slung his guitar over his back as he headed towards the front door.

"I've been called in for a meeting. Seems like my captain developed a new battle strategy that we need to go over."

"We understand. Just make sure you come back to visit, okay?" Zack said gently, putting a hand on Haydn's shoulder and squeezing it tightly.

"Of course. I have to come back. Your wife's a pretty good cook." Haydn grinned playfully in Xemnas's direction as he waved goodbye, acting as if he didn't detest the war for taking away his life.

* * *

One month later…

The last month had been bittersweet. Most of Xemnas's friends that had left town had already been killed because the war had taken an unfortunate turn that had cornered all of those who had evacuated. Although death surrounded him, Xemnas had never felt more content in his life. The people that were the most important to him were always beside him and his job was going well. Less soldiers were being brought in, and the ones that were brought in had a larger chance of surviving because they were granted more individual attention. It seemed like they were winning the war, which made Xemnas feel a bit more at ease. He still worried about Zack and Haydn's safety, but he felt that they were both close to escaping unharmed. So far, Haydn had been lucky and had been able to stay in Rokugo. Neither Zack or Haydn had had to fight very far away, so Xemnas was able to see both of them quite frequently.

Xemnas was currently at the hospital. He was working overtime because he needed the extra money for the rent on the apartment. Everything was quiet at the hospital; the staff was preoccupied with their patients and the patients seemed to be pleased. Xemnas looked at the clock hanging on the wall and smiled as he realized his shift was almost over. Haydn and Misa would be having dinner at his apartment tonight, which always proved to be fun. Xemnas's thoughts were interrupted as he heard screaming a few feet away. Xemnas was about to run towards the screams when there was a loud noise that sounded like an explosion and smoke filled the halls. Xemnas looked around wildly. He couldn't even see a foot in front of him.

Zack and Haydn were on the outside of Rokugo Hospital. They were planning on picking Xemnas up from work when they saw something whiz past the roof. Zack and Haydn saw several flashes and then an explosion that must have taken out a large portion of the hospital's top floor.

"Those bastards! How could they sink this low?!" Zack yelled as he ran forward, fully intending on going into the hospital.

"Wait Zack! What do you think you're doing?! We can't just run in there! We don't know what their battle strategy is!" Haydn yelled after his friend.

"We don't have a choice! They may be here for Dr. Eiji, but if they sense Xemnas's presence they'll kill him!" Zack yelled frantically as he drew his sword. Haydn followed, pulling out his gun at the same time.

Xemnas was still lost in the smoke. From what he could hear going on around him, other sections of the hospital had been blown up as well. Xemnas wandered through the smoke, not able to see more than an inch or two in front of him. He heard a distant voice calling his name. He looked around, not sure which direction the voice was coming from. A hand suddenly grabbed him and pulled him in the other direction. Xemnas was thrown into someone's chest, which he quickly realized belonged to Zack. Even through the smoke, Xemnas could make out Zack's one blue eye and his other green eye. Haydn came in to view seconds later, oddly undaunted by the amount of smoke in the room or the hysteria around them.

"Come on. We need to get you out of here." Zack said as he pulled Xemnas, keeping him as close as possible. Somehow, Zack managed to find a section of the hospital that wasn't covered in thick smoke. But, instead of being greeted by smoke, they were greeted by a group of frightened looking, crying nurses and doctors. They couldn't see what was going on because the people were so densely packed. Xemnas moved to go see what the trouble was, but he was roughly yanked back.

"Don't go over there." Zack said as he eyed the group of people warily.

"Why not? Someone could be hurt!" Xemnas said as he tried to free himself from Zack's grip.

"No! Please Xemnas, just don't go over there!" Zack yelled as he gripped Xemnas's wrist sharply. Xemnas yelped in pain as he tried to pull away from Zack's painful grip.

"Zack, stop it! What's gotten in to you?!" Xemnas said as he wormed his way out of Zack's grasp and ran through the mass of people.

"Xemnas! Wait!" Zack tried to get Xemnas to come back, but it was too late. Xemnas was pushing his way through the crowd, finally arriving at the front of the horrified looking group. Xemnas screamed as he took in the gory sight before him. Dr. Eiji was lying in his own blood with several stab wounds and half of his limbs ripped off. His wife and Misa were right beside him. His wife was also covered in blood and many stab wounds. Her dead, surprised looking eyes glared up at Xemnas as if she had been taken to death by surprise. What scared Xemnas the most was Misa's condition. Her wounds were much like her parent's, but one side of her face was completely torn off, the skin pulled back so much that the bones on her dead face were showing. One of here eyes was missing entirely while the other one was practically hanging out of its socket. Zack rushed to Xemnas, pulling the boy into his arms as he wailed loudly. Before Zack could do anything to comfort him, the section of the hospital directly behind them exploded, filling the room with more smoke. The large group of people who had been standing around the Eiji's started screaming, pushing each other out of the way to try and get to the exit at their right.

"Xemnas! Get down!" Haydn shouted as he pulled Xemnas to the ground. Xemnas landed on the tiled floor with a heavy thud as Zack and Haydn stepped over him. It looked as though they were trying to shield him from someone's view.

"So you're the one that did this? No surprise there." Zack growled.

'_Who is he talking to?' _Xemnas asked himself as he squinted in an attempt to see what was going on. As the smoke began to clear a little bit, Xemnas caught the glint of an object. Xemnas realized it was a sword dripping with blood. Xemnas looked up through his bangs in order to see the face of the person that had killed the closest thing he had ever had to a family. A chill ran up Xemnas's spine as he saw a pair of blood red eyes. Xemnes strained to see the person's face, but the smoke was too thick to see more than the being's outline.

"Xemnas, I need you to leave." Zack said. Xemnas could barely hear him.

"What?! But what about you?!" Xemnas said as he stood up. Zack moved quickly to cover Xemnas with his own body so that he wasn't seen as Haydn moved to distract the anonymous killer.

"Listen to me Xemnas. I have to stay here and fight. You go with the others and evacuate. Someone will be there to direct you to our new house." Zack said quickly.

"Our new house?! Why do we have to move?!" Xemnas asked. Everything was happening too fast.

"Rokugo isn't safe anymore! Now go!" Zack said as he pushed Xemnas into the crowd of people.

"Zack!" Xemnas yelled as he extended his arm to grab the other man, but it was too late. He was already being dragged away by a current of moving bodies. He had no choice but to follow.

In the distance, he swore he could hear Zack yell, "Don't worry, I'll be home soon."

* * *

It had been hours since the evacuation and there were still no sign of Zack. One of Zack's friends in the army had managed to find him and had driven him out to the countryside of Rokugo, just outside the city of Kinosaki. They were supposed to be safe there, but so far, Xemnas didn't feel very secure. It was much too quiet and dark. He tried to fix this by turning on several lights in the house and turning the TV up as loud as he could to fill the empty space. Even with all of his efforts, nothing worked. Xemnas was too worried about Zack to relax. Amber eyes looked out at the darkened backyard. Goose bumps ran up Xemnas's arms as he looked at the large, eerie oak tree that occupied the yard. Xemnas ran to the door as he heard it open. Zack was standing in the door with bags in his hands. He sat them down, immediately holding his arms out to Xemnas. Xemnas took his offer, throwing himself in Zack's arms and sobbing deeply. He hadn't had time to think about the Eiji's death, and now it was all catching up with him.

"Shhh, Xemmy, it's okay." Zack said as he rubbed Xemnas's back soothingly. He went to grab Xemnas's hand, but accidentally brushed against his now badly bruised wrist. The bruise was in the same place Zack had grabbed him earlier. Xemnas gasped in pain and jerked away.

"I'm sorry about that." Zack said as he examined the wrist carefully. "I was way out of line when I did this. I can't believe I hurt you…"

"It's alright." Xemnas said as his voice cracked. He found himself crying in Zack's arms again.

"Why the hell would they do that?!" Xemnas yelled tearfully. "What did Dr. Eiji and his family ever do to deserve being killed?!"

"I don't know Xemnas, but they're safe now. No one can hurt them where they are." Zack said as he wrapped his arms around Xemnas protectively.

"Zack…I don't want you to fight anymore." Xemnas said quietly.

"I wish I didn't have to, but…I can't just pull out of the war now." Zack said.

"Why not?! I don't want you out there! It's getting too dangerous!" Xemnas yelled as he pushed himself away from Zack's embrace to look at him disbelievingly.

"I can't pull out when they need me the most…"

"Who's they?! The government?! I don't give a damn about them Zack! I only care about you!" Xemnas yelled angrily.

"Damn it Xemnas, would you just listen to me!" Zack yelled and paused before continuing. "Think of how selfish you're being. There are people out there who need protection, and you're one of them. I'd give my damn life to make sure you're safe and happy. I hate our government, but if being one of their slaves means that I can keep you out of harms way than I'm willing to do it!" Zack said loudly, but then added softly, "You're what I'm fighting for, and you will be the only person I will ever genuinely love in the way I love you." Zack took Xemnas's hands gently into his own. "So please, let me do this. It'll all be over soon. I can feel it." Zack said pleadingly. Xemnas nodded uncertainly.

"What happened to Rokugo?" Xemnas asked apprehensively.

"…It's probably just a giant pile of rubble by now…" Zack said hesitantly.

"…What's all that stuff you brought with you…" Xemnas forced himself to ask. Zack raised an eyebrow at the sudden curiosity, but quickly realized that Xemnas wanted to change the subject and turned towards the bags.

"I managed to get to our apartment. I grabbed everything of importance." Zack said as he started emptying the bags. Many of their personal belongings fell out, including Zack's diary and a photo album that they started creating when they first started dating.

"You even got the photo album?" Xemnas asked as he flipped through the photo album, painfully turning the page when he saw a picture of Misa's face smiling back at him.

"Yeah, I think that our memories are important." Zack said as he dug through more bags.

"Memories?" Xemnas repeated questioningly. For some reason, that word triggered a feeling in him that he couldn't place.

"Yep. Memories are a precious thing Xemnas. No matter what happens, never let go of them."

'_Never let go of my memories…' _Xemnas thought as he held a hand to his head. He felt like he was supposed to remember something, but every time he tried to remember it, it slithered away from him as quickly as it had struck him that there was actually something to remember to begin with.

"Hey Xemmy, come over here. There's something I want to show you." Zack said. Xemnas's train of thought broke as he walked over to Zack, who was bent over and looking at the floor.

"What is it?" Xemnas asked as he bent next to Zack. The raven haired man lifted the rug on the floor, revealing a trap door.

"I'm putting everything important to us in here." Zack said as he opened the trap door which revealed another trap door that was built straight into the dirt under the house. "If anything bad ever happens, the things most important to us will always be here." Zack said as he threw the photo album, his journal, and a few other items down the trap door before shutting it and placing the rug back over it. Xemnas as Zack turned as they heard someone knock on the door.

"Who would be knocking on our door at this hour?" Xemnas asked.

"Maybe it's one of our neighbors. A lot of people from Rokugo were brought to this area." Zack said as he opened the door. Instead of finding a new neighbor, he found Haydn standing in the door, looking like he had been completely drained of energy.

"Haydn? Did you just get here?" Zack asked as he moved aside to allow Haydn entrance.

"Yeah, they've gotten stronger Zack." Haydn said as he stumbled inside.

"Damn. Have the captains given any orders on what to do yet?" Zack said as he gave Haydn a chair to sit in.

"No, they're still discussing it." Haydn said as he put his head in his hands.

"Where are you staying Haydn?" Zack asked, concerned about where his friend would be living.

"Zack…I don't think-

"You're more than welcome to stay with us if you like." Zack said. He knew that Haydn probably hadn't come up with a plan in case something like this happened.

"As much as I would love to do that, I can't." Haydn said solemnly.

"Why?" Xemnas asked.

"…They've moved me to the front lines." Haydn said hesitantly.

"What?! You can't possibly be thinking of going there! You know how many people have died in the front lines!" Zack yelled as he grabbed Haydn's shoulders to emphasize what a huge mistake he was making.

"I know, but I don't have a choice. My captain said if I don't fight in the front lines then I don't fight at all."

"Well maybe we can reason with him. Your captain and my captain are good friends right? I'll talk to my captain and see if he can-

"Zack, stop it." Haydn said. "I can't do that. They need me out there."

"I don't want you to fight out there. Every single one of my friends that have in the front lines died within a few weeks of arrival! I don't want to lose you too!" Zack said frantically.

"I'm sorry Zack, but I have to do this. Please try and understand." Haydn said imploringly.

"…Alright then, if you've made up your mind…the least I can do is give you a place to stay until you have to leave."

"…I'm leaving tonight…"

"You can't be serious?! After the day we just had they want you to leave tonight?! You'll all be killed if you're beyond exhaustion!" Zack said pressingly.

"We don't have time to rest. If we do that the enemy will take advantage of us. I shouldn't even be here right now. I only came by because I wanted to say goodbye. I have to go now; I'm supposed to leave in an hour." Haydn said as he got up and headed for the door. Once he was outside, he planned on leaving without looking back, but Zack called to him.

"Haydn…maybe I should go with you." Zack pronounced.. He didn't like the idea of his best friend fighting alone.

"Don't be stupid. You have your own little family to protect, I don't. That's what makes all the difference here." Haydn said as he turned to leave again. Zack opened his mouth to say something, but Xemnas cut in instead.

"You are apart of our family Haydn.! The Eiji's were too, but they're all dead now. Please be careful…we don't want to lose anyone else that we love." Xemnas said. Haydn turned to eye Xemnas softly before turning to Zack.

"Hey Zack, promise me something okay? Promise me that when all of this is over…we'll meet on the other side." Haydn said quietly. Zack searched for the right words to say, but could only utter one sentence.

"Don't worry, we'll meet again." Zack said reassuringly. Haydn nodded as he walked away. Zack and Xemnas stood in the doorway as Haydn disappeared into the night.

* * *

Two weeks later…

Xemnas and Zack were lying on their bed together. Xemnas was spooned against the raven haired beauty.

"Hey Xemmy? What do you think about kids?" Zack asked suddenly.

"Kids? I like them." Xemnas replied with a shrug.

"What do you think about the potion Dr. Eiji created that allows men to become pregnant?"

"The Dansei Kainin? I think that the majority of the world isn't ready to except something like that yet, but I thought it was a great idea. A lot of people in the scientific community looked down at him for it though."

"Did you ever get a chance to see how to make it?"

"I've made it a few times. The men that used it had a good pregnancy and their babies were healthy."

"…What would you think about using the Dansei Kainin on yourself after we get married and the war is over?" Zack asked uncertainly. Xemnas turned to smile at Zack sweetly.

"Well, I don't see any problem with that as long as you're willing to be the father." Xemnas said. Zack was overjoyed to hear this and latched his mouth to Xemnas's immediately. After a few seconds he pulled away and pulled an arm tighter across the smaller man.

"Mmm, Xemnas. I can't wait until we can do this every day." Zack said as he snuggled against Xemnas.

"Me too." Xemnas said as he turned for a second time to kiss Zack tenderly. Xemnas deepened the kiss by slipping his tongue into Zack's mouth. Zack rolled over on top of Xemnas, allowing the amber eyed man to wrap his arms around his waist. Xemnas quickly unbuttoned Zack's pants and stuck his hand down them. Zack pulled away, Xemnas pouting as he did so.

"Don't give me that look. We agreed to wait until we got married. Don't worry, you only have to wait for two more weeks love." Zack said as he buttoned his pants and kissed Xemnas's cheek.

"Fine." Xemnas said as he snuggled against Zack again. Xemnas looked out of the bedroom window to be greeted by a sight that had been disturbing him for the past couple of weeks.

"That tree's so creepy looking." Xemnas said as he stared at the tree in their back yard. He could see it perfectly from their second story bedroom window.

"The oak tree? Why's it creepy?" Zack asked.

"It just doesn't fit in with everything else around here. The countryside's so beautiful, but that tree's so eerie and gloomy looking. It's like it represents all the death that's been going on recently. I know it sounds morbid, but it just seems like it's a sign that something bad is going to happen." Xemnas said in discomfort.

"Don't worry fair maiden! I'll protect you from that big scary tree!!" Zack said jokingly in a mock, hero-like voice as he threw his arms around Xemnas protectively.

"Shut up!" Xemnas said as he hit Zack's arm playfully. "I don't need protection from a tree."

"Well it sure seems to disturb you pretty bad." Zack said as he rubbed the arm that Xemnas had just punched. "I'll tell you what, if it bothers you so much, I'll cut it down tomorrow."

"A little tree hugger like you would do that for me?" Xemnas asked jokingly.

"As much as I detest cutting down trees, if it would make you feel more comfortable in the house, then yes." Zack said.

"I love you." Xemnas said as he kissed Zack.

"And only two more weeks until we can make it official." Zack broke away from the kiss as Xemnas buried his face into the nape of Zack's neck. He took in the scent of the raven colored hair that cascaded down Zack's shoulders and back. Xemnas and Zack sat in comfortable silence until Xemnas remembered the conversation between Zack and Haydn that had troubled him so much.

"Zack? You remember the first time Haydn came to visit?" Xemnas started hesitantly.

"Yeah, what about it?" Zack said as he sat up and looked at Xemnas peculiarly.

"I know that I wasn't supposed to be listening, but, I overheard you talking about Dr. Eiji. You know why he's dead, don't you?" Xemnas asked quietly. Zack stared at him with wide eyes.

"Xemnas I-

Zack's explanation was interrupted when they heard a crash coming from downstairs.

"Stay here, I'm going to go see what that was. Don't come down there no matter what happens." Zack said calmly, though Xemnas could clearly see fear in his eyes. Zack quietly left the bedroom, taking his sword with him.

Xemnas should have felt safe in the comfort of his own bedroom, but he didn't. He felt as though he were being watched. Xemnas looked around cautiously, and when he looked out of the window, he swore he could see something moving in the shadows. Xemnas decided to disregard it, thinking that his mind was just playing tricks on him. Xemnas was starting to get worried about Zack and turned to look at the bedroom door to find yellow eyes starting right at him. Xemnas jumped back a few feet, putting himself in the corner. In front of him was an odd looking creature with yellow eyes and antennae on its head. Xemnas was frightened. He could unknowingly sense that the creature was composed completely of darkness.

'_Heartless…' _Xemnas thought to himself, though he was surprised when the word seemed familiar in his mind. He didn't understand what made the word "heartless" pop into his head when he saw the creature, but something told him that it was very important for him to remember. Behind the Heartless was another creature that Xemnas felt like he had seen somewhere before. It was a silvery being with a swaying posture and an odd symbol on its forehead.

'_A Dusk.' _Xemnas thought. This time his head began to pound fiercely. Xemnas began to get scared when he realized that there were several of both creatures surrounding him, all trying to drown him in darkness. Xemnas resisted by getting up and running out of his room. As he made his way down the stairs he vaguely noticed that Heartless and Dusks were engulfing the entire house, slipping in and out of walls as they searched for their next victim.

"Zack!" Xemnas yelled for help, but Zack wasn't in the house. He looked around frantically and noticed that the front door was open. He ran towards it, knowing that Zack had to be outside.

"Zack?" Xemnas said uncertainly. Zack had his sword drawn and was encircled by was looked like over a hundred soldiers from the other side. Though something was wrong with them. They no longer looked like ordinary human soldiers, but demon-like beasts from the pits of hell. Their eyes were blood red, their teeth elongated, their nails sharpened to deadly claws and their ears pointed.

"Damn it Xemnas! I told you to stay inside!" Zack yelled. The panic in his voice startled Xemnas a bit.

"Did you really think you could hide him from us forever?" One of the soldiers growled in a low voice. He appeared to be the leader of the enemy soldiers. He drew his sword, quickly running straight towards Xemnas. The tanned body froze as amber eyes closed shut, waiting for the impact of the blow.

"No! Leave him alone!" Xemnas heard Zack scream. Xemnas opened his eyes to see Zack running towards him as well. What happened next happened much too fast, but at the same time occurred at a painfully slow rate. The enemy soldier came at Xemnas with all he had, aiming his sword straight for his heart. Xemnas closed his eyes as he waited for it to make contact, but instead felt a strong pair of arms wrap around him protectively. The tip of the enemy soldier's sword barely touched him. Xemnas slowly opened his eyes again and his face contracted in horror as he realized Zack was the one who had stepped in front of him.

"Zack…why?" Xemnas whispered feverishly with wide, horrified eyes as Zack's grip on his body slipped and he fell to the ground. Xemnas knelt next to Zack shakily. He had never seen so much blood in his life.

"Xemnas…" Zack said with bleary eyes. Xemnas gently picked up Zack's head and put it in his lap as he ran his hands through Zack's hair.

"Looks pretty bad, doesn't it?" Zack said in a raspy voice as he coughed up a bit of blood.

"It's okay Zack, I can fix this!" Xemnas said as he placed a hand over the bleeding, gaping wound in Zack's chest.

"Stop Xemnas. You know that a doctor can only do so much. Even with all of the medical knowledge in the world, there's some people you just can't save." Zack said. His eyes were starting to lose the life in them and his skin was becoming a sickly white color.

"No Zack! Listen to me! You can't die here! We're getting married in two weeks, remember!? You can't die Zack…I need you." Xemnas pleaded as tears began to spill from his amber eyes. Zack's hand went to Xemnas's face and wiped the tears away, only half smiling as he did so.

"I love you…" Zack whispered as a single tear rolled down his cheek and the last bit of life left his eyes. His hand fell to the ground and his body became completely limp. Xemnas stared for moments, his pupils growing smaller by the second. As Zack's death sunk in, Xemnas began to cry like he had never cried before. He momentarily forgot that he was encircled by enemy soldiers and just sat there sobbing into Zack's chest and shaking him as if he believed there were still some life left in the dead body. Xemnas suddenly became aware of a shadow looming over him and slowly looked up to see a pair of glowing red eyes and sharp fangs. Xemnas screamed and threw his arms around Zack's body defensively. The man's hand came towards him and Xemnas had every right to believe that the soldier was going to kill him, but he didn't. Instead he placed a hand firmly over Xemnas's head, keeping a strong grip even as Xemnas tried to free himself. Xemnas suddenly stopped struggling. His head started to pound painfully. The memories that had been so foggy before were starting to come back piece by piece. In his head he could see a man named Ansem sitting behind a desk and a younger man with silver hair mere feet away from him.

'_That's…me…' _Xemnas thought as the silver man's face became clearer.

'_Xehanort…_' Xemnas suddenly knew who he really was, but not exactly why he had changed his name, or why he looked do different back then. Although, he did feel like this man named Ansem disapproved of something he was very eager to do at the time. Five others were very foggy in his mind as well. He felt like he had worked with these people before, but he couldn't place it. There was something about Heartless and experiments….and…Nobodies…

'_Nobodies…I know I'm supposed to remember something about them.' _Xemnas thought to himself. The enemy soldier gave him a sinister smirk, his sharp fangs becoming more noticeable as his red eyes glinted.

"You still don't remember, do you?" The soldier growled as his gripped tightened around Xemnas's head. Xemnas became scared again and began to struggle harder than he had the first time. The red eyed man leaned next to Xemnas's ear.

"You're one of them! One of those filthy Nobodies! I'd start running, because I intend on killing you and will do anything in my power to see you dead!" The red eyed soldier yelled as one of his claws dug into the side of Xemnas's head. Xemnas grunted in discomfort as he felt a sharp pang from the man's claws. Xemnas felt something wet running down his face as the soldier released him from his clutches. Xemnas touched his face gingerly and felt the wet substance on his face. His eyes widened as he looked at his hand. The research and experiments he had conducted were forced back into his mind. Black blood was the ultimate sign of a Nobody, and that was exactly what was flowing down his face. Xemnas remembered that the enemy soldiers wanted him dead and used what little energy he had left to hoist himself up and throw Zack over his shoulder. Even if Zack was dead, he refused to leave him there.

"Run you damned Nobody! You can't avoid us forever! You'll be dead soon enough!" The enemy soldier said with a deep chuckle as he watch Xemnas stumble away with sick amusement.

Xemnas ran as fast as he could while he carried all of Zack's weight. Tears ran down his face. He had never been this scared in his life. Xemnas was tiring out fast. He couldn't carry Zack much further and he could feel that the enemy soldiers were catching up to him. Just as he was about to give up and let them kill him so he could be with Zack, he heard a voice calling to him in his head. It sounded exactly like Zack.

'_Just leave me here Xemnas. There's nothing you can do for me now.' _The voice said gently. Xemnas continued to run, his pace becoming slower and his breathing extremely irregular.

_'Please leave! You have to keep living without me!'_ The voice said a little more urgently. Xemnas stopped to look at Zack. His dead, open eyes were staring out in to vast nothingness. A choked sob escaped Xemnas's throat when he realized that there was only one thing he could do. Xemnas sat Zack against a building, closing his open eyes.

"I love you." Xemnas said as tears rolled down his face. He kissed Zack's cheek gently, shivering as his lips made contact with Zack's cold skin. He then took Zack's sword, knowing that he would need something to defend himself with as he ran away forever. He didn't look back. He didn't want to see what happened to the dead body he left behind.

* * *

Xemnas eventually stopped running because he thought he had lost sight of the enemy soldiers. He soon found out that he was horribly wrong. The Heartless caught up with him first and started swarming him immediately. Xemnas swung Zack's sword and struck one of the Heartless. It vanished into thin air at the contact, and Xemnas finished off the rest of them easily. After he had gotten rid of all of the Heartless, he thought he would be safe. Sadly, he was mistaken. A swarm of Dusks emerged shortly after and tried to attack him. When Xemnas went to hit the first one, Zack's sword stopped mere inches from the Dusk's skull. Instead, the symbol on its head began to glow brightly. When he tried to move the sword away, it wouldn't budge. The sword started glowing as well. Even though he didn't know what was going on, he didn't feel like he was in any danger. The sword began to morph. The hilt became shorter and darker and the actual sword became dull and started glowing red. Xemnas stared at the sword with an open mouth until it was fully transformed.

By the time it stopped morphing, it was no longer a sword, but a saber of some sort. Xemnas rotated the saber in his hands inquisitively, not understanding why the transformation had occurred. Xemnas remembered that the Dusks were standing less than a foot away and looked up at them suspiciously. He was surprised to find that they were standing completely still as if they had no intent on attacking him at all. Xemnas wondered why they weren't trying to attack him when he heard a voice in the distance.

"Hey boss, I think he's over here!" Xemnas heard an enemy soldier yell. He began to panic when he could see them coming into view. As he looked back at the Dusks, they nodded at him as if to say that they would meet again. The Dusks disappeared as Xemnas continued to run, eventually finding a good place to hide amidst the rubble of the destroyed city of Kinosaki.

"I could have sworn I saw him run through here." Ansoldier said. Xemnas held his breath as the soldier's feet stood only a few inches away from his hiding spot.

"Well keep looking, he has to be around here somewhere." Another voice growled. Xemnas clenched his fists as he realized it was the voice of the man who had killed Zack. Xemnas remained completely silent as he watched the men's feet shuffle away. He was too scared to move, even hours after the soldiers were long gone.

Four weeks later…

Xemnas walked across the rubble with hard, cold eyes. The war had come to a complete halt. The enemy soldiers had apparently been overpowered and had either been killed or gone missing. Zack and Xemnas would have been married for two weeks. If the enemy soldiers hadn't found them, they would have survived through the war and would have been living the happy life they always dreamed of. But none of that mattered now. Xemnas had completely blocked his life with Zack out of his mind. A trail of Dusks followed Xemnas through the broken city, glad to have found somebody who wished for a heart as much as they did.

* * *

Author's Note: Wow. That was a long one. Anyway, I know there is still a lot of unanswered questions, but they will all be addressed at some point in this fic. I also realize that if Xemnas was only seventeen when he conducted his experiments as Xehanort then Zexion would only be like eight or nine years old at the time.(Or at least that's what I suspect.) That will also be explained. Also, I know some of the terms I used for the army were not correct, but I made them for the purpose of this fic. **Now go leave reviews!! **I'm addicted to them!! And feel free to ask me any questions if you are confused about anything that happened in this chapter.

As a side note, this chapter was influence by the song The Ghost of You, by My Chemical Romance. I do not own the band or their songs, I just used it as inspiration. I was listening to it when I killed Zack. TT


	10. Premonitions

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon, soriku, zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club.lol.i'm horrible. :D

Genre: Romance/humor/angst/action/tragedy

Rating: T(possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: Shounen-ai/yaoi, language. **SLIGHT OC'S IN THIS CHAPTER AS WELL!**

Author's Note: So this is chapter ten! Yaaaayyyy!! I would have had it up sooner, but I've been busy with school lately and trying to figure out my schedule for junior year!! So many complications!! But that's beside the point. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

* * *

_End of Chapter Nine: The Ghost of You_

_Xemnas walked across the rubble with hard, cold eyes. The war had come to a complete halt. The enemy soldiers had apparently been overpowered and had either been killed or gone missing. Zack and Xemnas would have been married for two weeks. If the enemy soldiers hadn't found them, they would have survived through the war and would have been living the happy life they always dreamed of. But none of that mattered now. Xemnas had completely blocked Zack out of his mind. A trail of Dusks followed Xemnas through the broken city, glad to have found somebody who wished for a heart as much as they did._

* * *

Chapter Ten: Premonitions

The image of Xemnas's figure standing amidst the rubble and looking up at the sky began to fade away as an invisible force began to pull the others back to the present. Their surroundings became pitch black and soon turned back into the room they had been occupying before they jumped into Zexion's book.

Zexion shut his book slowly as his body began to shake somewhat. He looked around to see that everyone was speechless. A dead silence thickly coated the room; no one dared to make a sound.

Sephiroth was the first to challenge the oppressing silence by clearing his throat and standing up. The other's eyes followed him towards the door until a certain blonde questioned his motives.

"Where are you going?" Cloud asked.

"Out." Sephiroth said curtly as he walked out of the door without another word. Cloud moved to follow him, but was stopped briefly after the action was made.

"Let him go Cloud." Leon spoke up suddenly, and when Cloud turned to look at him, repeated, "Just let him go."

Cloud stared at the door and wondered _what _exactly Sephiroth was planning on doing.

"What…what the hell did we just see?" Axel asked shakily. He was obviously shocked by the past which had just unraveled in front of their very eyes. Everyone was in a similar state, some more upset about what they had witnessed than others. Yuffie, for example, was silently crying while Tifa and Aerith tried to comfort her, while Saix, kept his eyes in his usual hard, unemotional glare as he comforted Marluxia. Saix had a tendency to keep himself guarded, even when it was evident that something was bothering him.

"I'm…not quite sure." Leon said uncertainly as the room collapsed into silence once more. One by one, but more commonly by twos, people started leaving the room quietly, going off to think on their own.

* * *

The castle gates were desolate, with the exception of one lone, amber eyed man. As his eyes grazed over the horizon, he pondered the life he used to have.

'_Zack…did I really forget you? Or was I just trying to forget?' _Xemnas asked himself. It was a question he had pondered many times in the past few hours, although his mind was really too clouded to think clearly. His hand found a sliver chain that was looped around his neck and pulled it off. On the chain was a silver ring with two gems incased, one blue and the other green.

'_It's so you'll remember me wherever you go.' _Zack's voice rang in Xemnas's ears.

'_It doesn't matter if I have this ring or not. I'll always remember you, no matter what happens.' _Xemnas remembered that this had been his reply to Zack's statement. Xemnas held back tears that threatened to spill over his tanned cheeks as he recalled all of his memories of Zack and how in love they had been.

'_No, I never loved him. I didn't have a heart back then. There's no way I could have possibly been in love when emotions don't exist in Nobodies.' _Xemnas thought as he desperately tried to subdue the ache he felt in his heart, still trying to make himself believe that his love for Zack never existed.

'_But you two shared so much together. How can you deny that you loved him when it's so obvious that he was the best thing you ever had?' _Xemnas's inner voice screamed at him as he shook his head defiantly. He didn't need or _want _to remember Zack.

"Forgetting your past won't do you any good." A familiar voice said from behind Xemnas. He turned to see Sephiroth landing on the ground as his wings began to recede into his back.

"Though dwelling on the past for too long should be avoided as well." Sephiroth said as he calmly approached Xemnas , his gaze not leaving him for a single second. Xemnas looked away from the beautiful man. Sephiroth stood next to him and neither spoke for several minutes.

"Are you alright?" Sephiroth asked, partly to break the silence, but _mostly_ because he actually cared, even if he was unaware of it.

"I'm fine." Xemnas said. Sephiroth could visibly see the other man tense uncomfortably. Xemnas turned to give Sephiroth a hard stare to confirm that he was indeed, alright, but mako green embers could clearly see a hidden sort of pensiveness behind those amber eyes.

* * *

All had gotten very quiet at the house. Everyone seemed to be thinking of Xemnas's past and interpreting it in their own way.

"Why would anyone want to hurt two people that were so in love and so happy together?" Yuffie asked Tifa quietly. She had ceased her crying, but she was still curled up in a ball on her bed.

"I don't know Yuffie. Some people are just cruel I guess." Tifa said solemnly, her back pressed against the wall opposite of the bed.

"It's strange. He used to be so sweet…" Yuffie said in bafflement, not quite understanding how such a transformation had occurred.

"People change after bad things happen to them. It's amazing that Xemnas could even continue living after what he witnessed. Xemnas must have lost pretty much all of who he was that day." Tifa said as she recalled how much Cloud had changed when he had lost _his _Zack.

"I guess you're right. You would probably know, with everything you and Cloud went through." Yuffie said as she rolled over to face Tifa.

"But Cloud opened up when he found his light."

"You mean when he found _Leon_?" Yuffie interrupted.

Tifa giggled slightly. "Exactly. Cloud had his light all along, he just couldn't see it until someone came and showed him that it was still there."

"Maybe the same thing could happen with Xemmy." Yuffie said with a giggle, hinting on the obvious attraction between Sephiroth and Xemnas.

Tifa gave a wide grin as she said, "Yeah, _maybe_, if they can ever admit that they like each other."

* * *

Axel had been staring out of the window with a serious look on his face since they had returned to the present. Roxas was starting to get worried.

"Axel?" Roxas whispered uncertainly. Axel turned to face the blonde and could easily detect the worry etched in his face.

"Don't worry Roxy, I'm fine." Axel said as he gave Roxas a small smile in an attempt to relieve the blonde of his worries. Roxas wasn't at all convinced, but thought that it would be best to leave Axel to his own thoughts for the night.

* * *

Zexion and Demyx were alone in their room. Demyx was lying in their bed, bandaged up and finally looked as though he were at peace as opposed to in pain as he had been a few hours before. Zexion sat at the desk near the opposite wall with a lamp light on, reading some book to try and distract him from his own thoughts. He assumed that Demyx was asleep, until he heard the blonde stir.

"Told you we had hearts." Demyx whispered weakly. Zexion gave Demy a puzzled look as he faced the bed. The setting sun cast a pink, rosy hue over Demyx's skin, making him a lot more alive than he actually was.

"What are you talking about? Of course we have hearts; we're human now." Zexion said as he walked over to Demyx and sat on the bed.

"I'm talking about when we were Nobodies. I always told everyone that we had hearts, but not one ever believed me. Now I have proof that I was right." Demyx said quietly.

"How do you figure that?" Zexion asked curiously.

"There's no way Xemnas could have been that in love with Zack if he didn't have a heart."

"…I think you might be right, but then, why would he tell us that we _didn't _have hearts?"

"I think…that he didn't _want _to believe that we had hearts. That would make it a lot easier for him, wouldn't it? If he denied that we didn't have hearts, then he could have never really loved Zack…it must have been hard…losing someone you love in the way that Xemnas did. I can't even imagine…" Demyx said as his eyes slid shut.

"Demyx?!" Zexion said alarmingly, fearing a split second that Demyx's wound was causing him to fade away.

"I'm alright Zexy, just tired." Demyx murmered through closed eyes.

"…I _almost _knew what it felt like to see someone I love be killed right before my very eyes today. Never scare me like that again Demy; I can't bare the thought of living without you." Zexion whispered as he lay next to Demyx and carefully wrapped his arms around the blonde's waist, making sure to be gentle with his injuries as he kissed the other's cheek. Demyx murmered something incoherent under his breath as they both drifted off into a soundless sleep.

* * *

Sora sat on his bed, deep in thought, when Riku entered the room.

"What are you thinking about?" Riku said as he sat behind Sora to wrap his arms around the smaller one's waist and rest his chin on the top of his head.

"Nothing really." Sora said absentmindedly as he leaned into Riku's embrace.

"Now I'd say that's a white lie." Riku said as he kissed Sora's head. "What's on your mind. You know you can tell me."

"It's just that….I feel like I've done something wrong. All that time I spent fighting Nobodies and I didn't even realize…"

"I'm guessing you're referring to their inability to have hearts?" Riku asked.

"Or is it their _capability _to have hearts without them being aware of it?" Sora questioned. "The entire time that I was up against them I kept refusing to believe that they could have hearts, but now I'm not so sure. Maybe I was just saying those things to assure myself that I was doing the right thing…"

"Xemnas's past is really bugging you, isn't it?"

"Yeah, a lot actually. The last time I fought against him…I told him that he didn't have a heart…for a split second, I swear he got this really sad look in his eyes. It was heartbreaking. I didn't understand it at the time…but now…" Sora said sadly.

"It wasn't your fault Sora. You did what you had to do. You were simply trying to protect what's important to you. You had no choice but to take them down."

"Did I really? It feels like I _did _have a choice. I just didn't see it at the time. I could have helped them. There was nothing wrong with what they were trying to achieve, it was just the way they went about doing it. None of them were really bad people, they just had to do bad things to get what they wanted…there could have been another way, and I didn't even stop to think…"

Riku thought for a moment before speaking again. "Well love, there's only one thing I can tell you. You may not have been able to help them then, but, you can certainly help them now."

"How could I possibly help now?" Sora asked as he turned to face Riku.

"I have a feeling that there's danger lurking…and it's planning on making its appearance very soon." Riku said as he laid down and turned his back to Sora. The spiky haired brunette wanted to ask what Riku meant when he said there was "danger lurking", but had a feeling that his silver haired lover wasn't going to say anything else, so he settled for snuggling next to Riku and falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

The sun had already set. The night stars twinkled precariously as two silver haired men stared up at them. Xemnas was still sitting in the same spot he had been in for the past few hours, completely unaware that Sephiroth was still standing a few feet away from him. Xemnas shivered as a gust of cold wind flew past him. The temperature in Radiant Garden dropped considerably at nightfall. Sephiroth eyed the man silently as he walked up to him. Xemnas knew nothing of Sephiroth's presence until a coat was placed over his shoulders. Xemnas looked up curiously to see a pair of green eyes staring down at him.

"Come on, we should head back. It's getting late." Sephiroth said as he started to walk away. Xemnas stood up and quickened his normal pace to catch up with the other man. Just as Xemnas started to slow down, Sephiroth stopped walking completely, causing Xemnas to bump right into him. Sephiroth wheeled around to face Xemnas, and for a moment, Xemnas feared that Sephiroth was angry with him, but soon realized that the other man seemed to be pondering something.

"Come here." Sephiroth motioned with his hand for Xemnas to come closer. Xemnas scooted closer, wondering what the other man was doing when a pair of strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him off of the ground. Sephiroth was now carrying Xemnas bridal style.

"W-What are you doing?" Xemnas stuttered as he tried to squirm out of Sephiroth's grip and had to will himself not to blush.

"We'll get home faster if we fly." Sephiroth said as they took to the sky. Even in the dark, Xemnas could swear that Sephiroth's cheeks were stained red.

* * *

Cloud and Leon were the only ones that hadn't gone back to their room, but had instead gone into the living room. Cloud looked up at the stars through the window. By the look on his face, Leon could tell that Cloud was upset.

"What's wrong?" Leon asked as he wrapped his arms around Cloud comfortingly. Cloud leaned in and took in Leon's scent as he spoke.

"It's just everything we saw…he reminded me a lot of my Zack." Cloud said quietly. Leon looked down and noticed the picture that Cloud was holding. It was one of Cloud with a dark haired man with violet eyes. The other man was one Leon knew only from photographs, a man that he knew had been Cloud's first and now deceased lover…a man he could not replace in Cloud's heart. Although it was apparent that the blonde, spiky headed teenager in the picture was Cloud, Leon scarcely recognized him. Cloud was not much older in the picture with Zack than he was now, but their maturity levels were dramatically different. In those days, he seemed so naïve and carefree. The present Cloud had no naivety in his entire being and was almost never carefree. Leon remembered how hard it had been to break down Cloud's barriers after he had suffered such a horrible loss, and now he must have felt some sort of connection with Xemnas. They had both loved someone in the same way and had suffered through the same pain with similar lovers. Leon knew that Cloud still thought about Zack, and although he knew it was selfish, he still couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

"Don't think about it Cloud. I know you had something special with Zack that no one else could ever give to you, but does the relationship we have mean anything to you? I know I'm nothing like Zack but…" Leon paused and looked at Cloud seriously. "I love you with everything I have and will _always _love you." Cloud's eyes widened at Leon's apparent jealousy towards his past relationship with Zack. All fell quiet in the room as Leon tried to find something to say.

"Cloud…I'm sorry…it's just-

Cloud silenced Leon with his lips.

"It's okay, I know how you must feel. I've been spending way to much time dwelling on the past. Zack's gone, and I need to come to terms with that." Cloud said as he kissed Leon again. Leon leaned into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Cloud's slim waist.

"No Cloud, that's not right either. I…I don't was you to forget Zack, but I don't want you to dwell on your past for too long. Zack's a part of the reason you're the man you are today. I could never ask you to forget him." Leon said as he moved away from the kiss. He got nervous when Cloud dwelled on something for too long. The blonde had a horrible guilt complex, and Leon didn't like Cloud blaming himself for something that was never his fault to begin with. Leon knew that he tried to blame himself for Zack's death, which only made the facts of his death even worse than they already were.

"You know what's been bothering me?" Cloud said suddenly, snapping Leon out of his thoughts.

"What would that be?"

"The giant dog we faced earlier had a strange resemblance to the soldiers that attacked Xemnas and Zack. The idea we had earlier about there being some kind of connection…I think we have enough evidence to believe it's true."

"Where are you going with this?" Leon asked, but Cloud never answered. He was distracted by something he saw out of the darkened window.

"They're back." Cloud said amusingly. Leon looked out to see Sephiroth landing firmly on the ground with Xemnas wrapped in his arms bridal style.

Leon chuckled lightly. "Well isn't that cute."

"You must be tired, you never call anything cute, even if it's true." Cloud said jokingly as he watched Sephiroth sit the blushing Xemnas down on the ground.

"You're my only exception to that rule." Leon said in a low, seductive voice as he grabbed Cloud's ass. Cloud squeaked and scrambled away from the touch as Leon laughed at the blonde's skittishness.

"Leon! Stop that!" Cloud said as he swatted Leon's perverted hands away.

"I can't help it darling, you're just so damn adorable." Leon said as he pressed Cloud into the wall, grinding his hips into the smaller man. Cloud gasped as Leon's lips attached themselves to his neck.

"Mmm…Leon…" Cloud moaned as Leon sucked on the sensitive part of his neck. Leon stopped briefly and noticed the red mark he had made on Cloud's neck, smiling deviously at his work. Satisfied with what he had accomplished on Cloud's neck, Leon moved his head slightly to kiss Cloud's pronounce jaw line. Leon's hand moved from Cloud's waist to grab his firm ass. Cloud whimpered and his face began to turn red. Leon looked at Cloud with a gentle smile, his grey eyes twinkling as he moved into the kiss. Both men slowly closed their eyes, their lips almost touching when there was a loud knock on the door a few feet away.

"Can somebody get that?!" Yuffie yelled from her room.

"Damn, both of them must have forgotten their key." Leon growled as he pulled away from Cloud. "Don't worry Yuffie, I've got it!" Leon yelled as he unlocked the door. Sephiroth and Xemnas walked in as if Sephiroth hadn't just carried Xemnas all the way home.

"You two were gone a while. Had fun?" Cloud asked teasingly as he noticed that Xemnas was wearing Sephiroth's coat. He couldn't help but tease the two after they had so rudely interrupted him and Leon in the middle of a private moment.( Which they, ironically, were technically doing in public, since the house was a home to several individuals.)

Both Sephiroth and Xemnas visibly tensed a little, causing Leon and Cloud to smirk.

"What's wrong? You two seem a little tense." Leon said in mock obliviousness. Cloud snorted and immediately shut up when Sephiroth glared at him.

"Nothing happened. I merely went to find out where he was and brought him back." Sephiroth said sharply.

Cloud snorted again. "Yeah, brought him back bridal style." Leon and Cloud made their way back to their room, trying not to laugh under Sephiroth's gaze.

Sephiroth stared the two down until they disappeared on the other side of the hall, where he was sure they would start giggling like two bubbly, girly idiots. Sephiroth tore his gaze away from the hall when he heard someone softly clearing their throat at his side.

"Here's your coat." Xemnas said quietly as he extended his arm towards Sephiroth, his hand clutched loosely around the coat. Sephiroth looked down at the man, noticing that he wouldn't look him in the eyes. Sephiroth could tell that Xemnas was quite embarrassed and wanted to tell him to keep the coat, but he reacted too quickly and snatched the coat out of Xemnas's hand before he could open his mouth. Sephiroth wanted to give the coat back, but he knew it would be odd to have to explain his reasoning. (Although he wasn't quite sure what his reasons were to begin with.) So instead, he walked away without another word. Xemnas stood there dumbly for a moment before retreating to his room as well.

Three weeks later…

Everything had seemed to calm down again, although one could still sense tension between those in the house because of recent events. Everyone had been helping out with rebuilding the part of the town that that monster from a few weeks before had destroyed. Leon and Cloud were currently on their way home, shirts off, sweating quite badly. Off in the distance they could hear a noise that was unfamiliar to Radiant Garden before the giant dog had made its appearance. The ground shook slightly. Leon and Cloud turned to find smoke billowing from the same area that they had just been repairing minutes before.

"You have got to be kidding me." Leon growled while staring at the thickening smoke as it polluted the skies. The usually bright blue heavens had been replaced by a dark, oppressive grey.

"Come on, lets get over there…hopefully it's not what we think it is." Cloud said as they started to run back towards the spot they had been repairing.

Cloud and Leon were surprised to find that no one, or no _thing_, was anywhere in sight. They peered at their surroundings carefully. Everything was completely desolate. If there were no signs of the previous explosion, Leon and Cloud would have thought they were imagining things.

"What the hell caused this?" Leon asked himself as he walked over to a burning pile of rubble.

"I don't understand…I thought we were going to have to face another giant dog." Cloud said as he examined the pile of rubble as well.

"Thank God we don't. I don't think I could handle another one of those." Leon said. As Cloud and Leon began to discuss a logical explanation for the explosion, they made one of the biggest mistakes possible. They let their guard down, giving the beasts that were lurking in the shadows plenty of time to size up their prey. They didn't even hear the predatory growl as one of the beasts leapt out of the shadows.

"Cloud, look out!" Leon yelled as he pushed Cloud out of the way. A dog-like creature sunk its fangs into Leon's arm. Leon winced as he animal snarled at him through its full mouth.

Leon immediately saw the resemblance to the giant white dog in the eyes of the one he was facing now. The dog was the color of pure darkness, with the same color eyes as the giant white dog. As Leon glared into piercing scarlet eyes, he knew he would have to do something quickly if he wanted to salvage his arm. Leon pulled out his Gunblade and struck the beast down by stabbing it in the gut. The dog yelped and slackened its jaw. The demonic looking dog took a few steps back as it released Leon's arm. Leon staggered back as well as he clutched his bleeding arm. Leon glared at the beast as its growl became deeper and more intimidating.

"This one's a lot smaller than the other one. Should be easy enough to take out." Cloud said as he pulled his Buster sword out of its sheath without any hesitation. He was angry now. _No one _got away with hurting Leon.

As Cloud went to finish off the beastly looking dog, he found out that his assumptions about there only being one dog were incorrect. Cloud had almost struck a killing blow to the demonic dog when they were suddenly enclosed by a tall ring of fire.

"What the fuck is this?!" Leon screamed as he stepped back in order to get as far away as he from the flames as he could.

"I'm not sure, but it looks like we've got more company." Cloud said as dozens of demonic dogs leapt from the flames. Their crimson eyes sparkled devilishly as they circled the two tasty looking men in front of them, providing no room for escape as they did so. Cloud and Leon were now back to back, just like they had been when they had faced a swarm of Heartless and Nobodies that had invaded and nearly destroyed Radiant Garden.

"Well this situation feels rather familiar, minus the flames and rabid mutts." Leon said as he smirked at the pack of demonic dogs who were steadily closing in on them.

"Think we can take all of them down Squall?" Cloud asked. He could practically feel the smirk on Leon's face growing.

"How many times have I told you not to call me Squall in public?" Leon asked, completely disregarding Cloud's question.

"Didn't realize it counted when we were facing our enemies, and I'll take that as a yes." Cloud said as he ran to attack the beasts.

"It always counts." Leon muttered as he struck one of the snarling dogs.

Thirty minutes later…

Cloud and Leon were completely worn out, despite the fact that they hadn't been fighting long. They had once again underestimated their opponents. These dogs were faster and much more powerful than the giant dog, meaning that they were capable of causing more damage. Cloud was cut from the dog's fangs and claws in several places. Leon could barely hold his Gunblade anymore, the puncture wounds in his arm starting to affect him greatly.

"Shit…what is it with these things? They just won't die!" Cloud said as he slashed another demonic dog across the chest. The beast only gave him a fang-filled smirk as it stood back up as if it had never been struck down to begin with.

"We're in trouble Cloud. I don't think we can handle many more of these on our own." Leon grumbled as he desperately tried to kill one of the dogs. His attempts were all in vain. The crimson-eyed beast just stood back up effortlessly. There was no way they could escape. The deranged dogs were surrounding them again, their numbers barely dwindled from what they originally were. There was also the matter of the flames. They had only risen higher, causing immense heat waves to roll onto Cloud and Leon's sweat and ash covered faces.

As the dogs were about to move in for a finishing blow, they heard one of the dog's yelp loudly. The red-eyed dogs, as well as Cloud and Leon, looked around in confusion, wondering where the noise had come from. None of the dogs were visibly showing signs of being in pain, so the yelp seemed enigmatic.

As they continued to gaze onward, Cloud and Leon swore that they could see a human and a dog-like shadow leaping through the fire.

"The hell?" Cloud asked as he watched the mysterious shadows move around one another in an almost dance-like state. Cloud soon found out what was lurking in the bright embers, seeing as it practically came bounding towards them.

The mysterious being that had been in the fire was no other than Axel. He was carrying something fuzzy looking under his arm.

The fuzzy looking object was one of the demonic dogs, completely and utterly dead. It's scarlet eyes had faded into a dull, deep grey. It looked as though it must have been unnerved by the manner it had been killed in.

"What the hell took you guys so long?" Leon shouted to Axel, seemingly in a much better mood now that he knew help would arise.

"Sorry, we got a little held up by-

"Dance water dance!!" Demyx shouted as he played a rapid string of notes on his sitar, which was followed by a huge waterfall that appeared out of thin air. Axel's sentence was cut off when the waterfall not only extinguished the ring of fire, but also soaked the demonic dogs, and unfortunately, Axel.

"Yeah! We had to fight a whole bunch of these stupid mutts on the way over here! They're all over the place! They keep going around eating people and destroying the place like it's their territory!" Demyx said as he came rushing toward Leon and Cloud. "But don't worry, after we finish off these guys, everything should be fine!" Demyx said with a wide grin, completely oblivious to the growl coming in Axel's direction.

"Demyx! You idiot!" Axel snarled as he turned towards the boy with the faux hawk.

"Hehehe…sorry Ax!" Demyx said apologetically.

"You little-

"Demyx! Don't you dare push yourself any more than you already have! You're still recovering, remember!" Zexion said as he ran up to Demyx.

"Sorry, can't hear you Zexy, too busy fighting rabid doggies!" Demyx yelled as he ran in the opposite direction.

On the other side of the battlefield, Xemnas stood all alone. Everyone else had gone into battle, except for him. He stared at the beast with his wide, amber eyes.

'_I know all of you somehow…' _Xemnas thought as he clutched his chest, that odd pang that he had felt with the arrival of the giant dog returning, only this time, it was even worse.

'_Why do I feel this way?!' _Xemnas mentally screamed. He soon got his answer. Out of the corner of his eyes, Xemnas could see a figure looming over him that looked as though it were holding a sword.

"Damn it! Why won't these things just die already?!" Roxas yelled as he struck another beast harshly. As he continued to fight, he saw Axel out of the corner of his eye.

"Axel? What are you doing?" Roxas asked as he looked at the red head peculiarly. Axel was using a bit of fire that Demyx had failed to extinguish to dry himself and his clothes off. He was currently shirtless, waving the material over the fire in means of drying it.

"Sorry Roxy. I'd help you, but you know I'm useless when I'm wet." Axel said as he grinned at Roxas and continued to absentmindedly shake his shirt over the fire. One of the dogs saw their opportunity to catch easy prey, seeing as how Roxas was quite smaller than some of the others and had let his guard down, and started running towards him.

"Watch out Roxy!" Axel said as he threw his shirt to the ground and charged towards the dog. Just as the beast was about to clamp down on Roxas's leg, Axel kicked the dog in the side harshly. The demonic animal appeared to be much weaker than the other dogs, seeing as how it yelped quite loudly and ran away with its tail between its legs.

"Ha! Stupid mutt!" Axel said as he grinned triumphantly.

"Um…Axel?"

"Yes Roxy baby?"

"Your shirts on fire."

"What?!" Axel yelled as he looked over at the small fire. His previously abandoned shirt was casually lying in the spot he'd left it, burning away into useless ashes. Axel ran over to the shirt, desperately trying to put the flames out. When he finally got the flames out, the shirt was only half of what it used to be. The shirt was charred almost to the sleeves, rendering it useless.

"Damn, lost another one." Axel said.

"Idiot…" Roxas muttered before going back into battle, leaving Axel to solve his shirt issues on his own.

As Xemnas turned to face the mysterious shadow, he was met with sharp fangs, dark long hair, and blood red eyes.

"You…" Xemnas whispered, his pupils dilating at the sight of the man who had almost successfully killed him in what felt like many years ago, the awful creature that was responsible for killing Zack. The man, if you could even call him that, chuckled wickedly as he gave that sinister grin that Xemnas had had nightmares about for so long.

"I should have finished you off a long time ago." The man said deeply, his red eyes gleaming as he went in for the killing blow. Xemnas knew what was coming next, but he was so terrified that he couldn't will his body to move…unable to scream for help…just the way it had been the day Zack had died. As the sword was about to come down on him, he never would have guessed that someone would come and save him.

Just before the sword struck, Sephiroth quickly grabbed Xemnas and carried him to safety. Sephiroth was holding the other bridal style again, and though he would never admit it, was reluctant to let him go.

"What were you thinking? Why wouldn't you move? I know you're perfectly capable of defending yourself." Sephiroth said as he put Xemnas down and looked at him sternly. Sephiroth's exacting exterior softened when he saw Xemnas's terrified amber eyes.

"Xemnas?" Sephiroth questioned softly as he put his hands on Xemnas's shoulders and squeezed them gently.

"That man…he's…" Xemnas stuttered quietly. Sephiroth could feel the smaller man shaking underneath the pressure applied by his large, but slender hands.

"That man? What about him?" Sephiroth asked. Regrettably, Xemnas wasn't the one to answer him.

"Now that's a shame. You saw me not all that long ago and you don't even remember who I am?" A deep male voice resonated. Everyone stopped what they were doing as they looked at the frightening man. The crimson-eyed dogs seemed to be waiting for the man to give them some sort of command.

The man said nothing but, instead, snapped his fingers in an authoritative manner. The dogs seemed to nod their heads at him slowly as they started to fade away. In a matter of moments, it felt as though the demonic dogs had never been there to begin with. That is, if you disregarded the blood, gore, fire, and rubble that was scattered everywhere.

"Who the hell?" Sephiroth questioned as he turned to look at the demon of a man.

After taking a long look into those crimson eyes, Sephiroth knew exactly who the man was.

"No…but how…" Sephiroth whispered, realizing that the man was back for a reason, and it had to be because he was still out to kill Xemnas.

"You honestly couldn't have believed that I wouldn't come back, did you Xemnas? After all, I said I would stop at nothing to see you dead, and I still hold true to my word." The man growled.

"Why are you here?! What reasons do you have for wanting to kill Xemnas?!" Sora yelled at the demonic man.

The man laughed iniquitously as his mind revolved around Sora's question. "Figures. You spent all of that time in the past and you still can't figure out my reasons. I guess you'll have to-

"Wait! What do you mean by 'all of that time they spent in the past?'" Xemnas asked.

"They didn't tell you? Your friends got a little nosey a few weeks ago and took a little trip into your past. You can blame the little one with purple hair for providing a way to get there. The other's were simply curious." The man said purposefully. He knew what kind of reaction it would trigger within Xemnas.

"What?!" Xemnas asked as he turned to face Sephiroth accusingly.

"Xemnas…" Sephiroth said quietly. Xemnas looked around to see that everyone held the same guilty expression. Sephiroth's hand suddenly started to reach out towards him, trying to provide some comfort, if it was even possible to do so. Xemnas slapped the hand away grudgingly as he glared at Sephiroth.

"I have to go." Xemnas said harshly as he stormed off. Sephiroth moved to follow him, but someone's hand firmly kept him in place as it landed on his shoulder. Sephiroth turned to see that the hand belonged to Cloud.

"Just let him go. He's probably better off alone for now anyway." Cloud said as he softly looked towards the direction that Xemnas had run off in.

"He might try to run away this time." Sephiroth said calmly, as if he didn't care whether or not the man ever came back. He did care, he cared a lot, but his pride kept him from admitting it.

"There's no way he could get out of Radiant Garden unless he had a gummi ship. Cid's the only one who owns any gummi ships around here, and I don't think he'd surrender one of them to Xemnas without a fight." Cloud said with a slight smirk as his eyes averted to the dark haired, red eyed man.

"Well that wasn't any fun. I was hoping he'd get angrier than that." The man said in disappointment.

"Will you just get on with it!" Axel yelled impatiently. He hated it when villains boasted. The red eyed man just smirked at him.

"There won't be any need for me to continue here. After all, I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other again very soon." The man gave another fang-filled, devilish smile as he disappeared into a series of dark tendrils. There were no traces left of him once he had vanished.

"Damn, so what are we supposed to do now?" Sora asked through clenched teeth as he glared at the spot where the demonic creature had been standing.

"I'm going to go find him." Sephiroth said as he shoved Cloud's hand away. "It shouldn't be too difficult to do so from the sky." Sephiroth exposed his wings and flew off before anyone could say another word.

"Should we let him go?" Leon asked Cloud as he watched Sephiroth's shape get smaller and smaller.

"Yeah, let him go. He cares a lot more about Xemnas than he likes to let on." Cloud said as he smiled slightly. Although he knew things were about to get arduous, at least there was a chance that something beautiful would emerge from those times.

* * *

Sephiroth effortlessly glided though the air as he continued to search for Xemnas. He had been up in the air for a while now and hadn't seen a single trace of the other man.

'_He's getting good at hiding when he doesn't want to be found.' _Sephiroth stated obviously.

'_Then why don't you just stop looking for him. You keep saying he's of no importance to you, yet you still follow him around as if he can't take care of himself.'_

'_He isn't important to me in the least bit…but…he could be a danger to Radiant Garden in his state of mind.'_

'_Since when have you cared about Radiant Garden? And I think we both know that Xemnas isn't going to try and destroy anything by now. Admit it, you've taken a liking to him.'_

'_No, I haven't. He's merely and acquaintance.'_

'_An acquaintance you wish to be friends with. Or maybe you wish to be much more than that…'_

'_Shut up! You know nothing you raving lunatic!!'_

'_I'm a raving lunatic? I'm not the one sitting here talking to myself, now am I?'_

This statement made Sephiroth realize that both him and his subconscious must have been going crazy, because technically, they were both talking to themselves. After all, Sephiroth and his subconscious were undoubtedly the same person. Yet one might have been a bit smarter and insightful than the other…

Before Sephiroth could continue his little inner rant, he saw a glint of silver hair on the ground below him. He knew that that hair could only belong to one other person besides himself of Riku as he landed on the ground taciturnly.

"What do you want?" Xemnas asked bitterly. Sephiroth was at first surprised that Xemnas had actually heard him, but he also knew that the man had probably sharpened his habitual senses incredibly after the day's attack.

"For you to come back home where you belong." Sephiroth said simply as he approached the very stoic man. Xemnas laughed with a fair amount of acidity in his voice.

"Home?! Where I _belong_?! I haven't _belonged _anywhere since I was in my teens, so don't try to tell me I belong here because I never will!" Xemnas said spitefully.

"Where you belonged…you mean the place you used to live with Zack, don't you?" Sephiroth said a bit more gently this time. Xemnas turned around and sharply hit Sephiroth across the face. Sephiroth could have dodged the hit, or even countered it with a much more powerful blow, but he allowed the other to hit him for reasons he didn't quite understand.

"Don't you _dare _bring _him _into this! How can you possibly think you have any right to talk about him?! You may have seen my past, but you never truly knew Zack and you'll never fully understand what I went through! I knew all of you had been acting peculiar lately, but I couldn't figure out why. But I understand perfectly now! Is that why you were treating my so kindly that night you found me at the Castle Gates!? Because you felt sorry for me?! Or do you pity me because of what happened during my teenage years?! Well you don't need to sympathize with me Sephiroth, I'm perfectly capable of-

Xemnas was cut off as the breath was knocked out of him by the impact of being slammed into the rocks beside him. Xemnas winced and clenched his teeth as he looked up to see a pair of mako green eyes glaring at him.

"Don't think for a damn _minute _that I pity you now or will _ever _pity you! I've never spent any time feeling sorry for anyone and you're no exception! What purpose would it serve for me to feel any sympathy for you?! You may have had it rough once, but so have plenty of others! So get over yourself and realize that we only want to help you!" Sephiroth yelled, his fists clenched tightly around the fabric of Xemnas's shirt and his face extremely close to the others. Xemnas's breath hitched as he realized their closeness. Even though Sephiroth was angry with him, his intensity and beauty still radiated off of him in waves. Deep down, Xemnas wished that they could be that close when Sephiroth wasn't thoroughly pissed at him. Xemnas's wide amber eyes stared into Sephiroth's mako green ones as he nodded slowly to show that he understood. Sephiroth let Xemnas free as they both let out a breath neither had realized they were holding. An awkward silence stretched between the two for far too long until Sephiroth cleared his throat.

"So…what do you want to do about this…situation…" Sephiroth asked uncertainly. Xemnas remained silent as if he was trying to think of the proper thing to do.

"Do you think we should wait for him to come back?" Sephiroth offered.

"No." Xemnas was quick to say. " He wants me to come find him."

"But we have no leads, how do you suppose we do that?"

"I know it sounds crazy…but…for some reason, I feel like we need to go through the land past the Castle Gates…"

"Are you sure?"

"You'll just have to trust me…something's been leading me in that direction for a while now…"

"We'll have to discuss this with the other's and-

"I have no intentions of getting help from you or any of the others. I've always fought my own battles and I don't plan on changing that now." Xemnas interrupted.

"What?!" Sephiroth said exasperatingly.

"I don't need your help. I've never needed anyone's help…" Xemnas trailed off quietly.

"Well, then this will be something new for you. You can't do this on your own; you _know _very well that you can't pull this off by yourself. There are too many of them and only one of you." Sephiroth said. Xemnas thought this over in his head. He hated the thought of not being in control of the situation, especially when it concerned his problems, but he knew that what Sephiroth was saying was true. There was no way he _could _handle something like this on his own. He knew he would have to do something he had promised himself he wouldn't ever do again the day Zack died: depend on and trust other people.

"So, why don't we go home and discuss this with the others." Sephiroth said pressingly, his hand reaching for Xemnas, but stopped himself, realizing that it wasn't his place to touch Xemnas intimately, and attentively grabbed his wrist instead. Xemnas blushed at the small contact, but felt compelled to take it further.

"I won't consider Radiant Garden my home…but….alright…I'll go with you." Xemnas said as he made Sephiroth release his wrist so that he could squeeze his hand reassuringly. Sephiroth turned red at the touch, but nodded anyway, secretly disappointed when Xemnas let go of his hand. Although their relationship seemed to be going nowhere, Sephiroth couldn't help but wonder what the times ahead of them would bring.

**READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE PEOPLE!!**

* * *

Author's Note: Wow, Microsoft Word tried to convert Sephiroth's name to Spirit. lmao! Anyway, yay!! It's the end of another chapter!! **Please leave reviews!! I need your feedback!!** Just to let you guys know, I've now applied to be a **beta reader**, so go check it out and if you have a story that fits my expectations, send it to me and let me see what I can do. Also**, I have three one-shots up if any of you are interested.** One of they is an akuroku, one is a Cleon, and the other is a Zemyx. Read and review if you are interested. And also, **some people have claimed they have left reviews for me for chapter nine, but I have not received them. **I received reviews from the following:

kryspi1

Billie the fourth sage

ramen-is-my-goddess

And that is all. If you left a review and I didn't get, please tell me about it. Try sending it through a message. Maybe that'll work. Anyway, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!


	11. Drunken Nights and Confessions

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon, soriku, zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club.lol.i'm horrible. :D

Genre: Romance/humor/angst/action/tragedy.

Rating: T(possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: Shounen-ai/yaoi, language. **Sephiroth ranting ahead!!XD And suggestions of moogle abuse! Lol. ALSO MENTIONS OF DRAG QUEENS AND PROSTITUTES!!PLEASE DON'T GET OFFENDED!**

Author's Note: Yay! Another chapter completed!! XD. That makes me happy. Not much to say this time around, except to enjoy!

* * *

_End of Chapter Ten: Premonitions:_

"_So, why don't we go home and discuss this with the others." Sephiroth said pressingly, his hand reaching for Xemnas, but stopped himself, realizing that it wasn't his place to touch Xemnas intimately, and attentively grabbed his wrist instead. Xemnas blushed at the small contact, but felt compelled to take it further._

"_I won't consider Radiant Garden my home…but….alright…I'll go with you." Xemnas said as he made Sephiroth release his wrist so that he could squeeze his hand reassuringly. Sephiroth turned red at the touch, but nodded anyway, secretly disappointed when Xemnas let go of his hand. Although their relationship seemed to be going nowhere, Sephiroth couldn't help but wonder what the times ahead of them would bring._

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Drunken Nights and Confessions

"So…why are we doing this again?" Sora asked uncertainly as he eyed the multiple bottles of alcohol warily.

"Cause sometimes ya just need a drink to make ya feel better." Cid said as he continued to stack bottles of beer, liquor, and whisky on the kitchen shelf.

"I'm not so sure about this…" Aerith said as she leered at the bottles.

"Calm down Aerith. Everybody needs a release from the real world every once in a while." Cid said.

"But what if those monsters decide to come back when you're all in a drunken stupor?!" Aerith asked sternly, unimpressed with the boy's lack of caution.

"They won't come back. I've already said it many times. They want me to come to them." A deep male voice stated. Sora, Cid, and Aerith turned to see Xemnas standing in the doorway.

"You mean they want _us _to come to them." Another voice said. After the declaration was made, Axel walked into the room. His tell-tale smirk plastered on his face. Xemnas, under normal circumstances, would have come up with some sort of snappy retort. But, because of the fact that he had quite a bit on his mind, only huffed and stormed off into another room.

"I think he's finally starting to like me." Axel sniggered.

"I don't see how that could be at all possible." Zexion said sarcastically as he walked into the room.

"Aww, that's not very nice Zexy!" Axel whined as he tried to use Demyx's puppy dog eyes, which was a lost cause with _Axel's _facial features.

"That only works when Demyx does it." Zexion said as he smiled gently towards the room that Demyx was resting in. "And you're not allowed to call me Zexy!"

"Are ya gonna keep yappin', or are ya gonna drink?" Cid asked as he tossed Axel a bottle of beer. Axel looked at the bottle and grinned.

"I could get used to this." Axel said as he opened the beer and took a swig.

* * *

A few hours had passed and more people had joined the little drinking party.

Roxas had refused to join in, but had somehow managed to fall asleep on the couch, Cid and Luxord were singing something terribly off key, though it was near impossible to decipher which song it was. Cloud was babysitting Leon to make sure that he didn't hurt himself. (Leon wasn't much of a heavy drinker.) Marluxia was giggling on Saix's arm while his bluenette lover twitched as he observed the drunken idiots around him. Aerith was basically hiding in the next room, although she kept an eye on everyone at the same time, just in case someone tried something stupid. Tifa sat bemused as she watched Yuffie play the matador while Axel's pants acted as the cape. Axel was oh so fortunate enough to be playing the bull. He was on all fours, charging at the pants, while Yuffie successfully pulled them away right before Axel made any impact.

Zexion sat at the kitchen table sipping tea. He rejected to participating in the affairs of drinking. As he sipped his hot tea and read yet another ridiculously thick novel, he heard a light shuffling noise behind him, like someone was trying to sneak by unnoticed….

"Demyx, get back to your room before you re-open your wounds again." Zexion said calmly without even bothering to turn around. Demyx had managed to be careless (no surprise) during their previous battle and had re-opened his wounds. Zexion had had to spend quite a bit of time re-dressing the wound, which had been quite the hassle for Zexion and even more (painful) for Demyx.

"But _Zexy_!" Demyx whined as his voice nearly became an octave higher. "I won't drink _that _much!" Demyx had been bugging Zexion all day to allow him to join in on the "fun", but Zexion refused. He knew that Demyx would only hurt himself even more if he were in a drunken stupor.

"No Demy." Zexion stated simply.

"But-

"No."

"But just one?"

"No."

"Just half of one?"

"No."

"Maybe just a-

"I said _no _Demyx! Now get back to that room and rest before I make you sleep on the couch tonight!" Zexion said sternly as he turned to Demyx and pointed a finger towards their room. Demyx whimpered and turned big, teary blue-green eyes to Zexion in a final, desperate attempt.

"Go." Zexion said as he pointed his finger again for emphasis. Demyx crawled back to his room whimpering, resembling a faux-hawked puppy with its tail between its legs.

"Such a pest sometimes…" Zexion sighed as he sat down and took a sip of his tea. What Zexion _hadn't _noticed was that a certain lanky red head had slipped a little surprise into his drink while he had been paying attention to Demyx. The worst part was, Zexion was _not, _on any terms, a heavy drinker.

* * *

An hour or so later, Zexion was a giggling mess splayed out on the kitchen table. His face was red from the alcohol as he sat muttering incoherent nothings under his breath and hiccupped every couple of seconds.

"How much alcohol did you spike that tea with?" Cloud asked as he watched the pitiful looking Zexion.

"Not that much." Axel said as he feigned innocence. Cloud rolled his eyes at the gesture. "Zexion just doesn't have a high tolerance to alcohol." Axel finished resolutely.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's _exactly _what happened." Cloud said as he continued to sip at his glass of wine. The two were silent for a moment before Axel spoke again.

"You know what I've been thinking about lately?" Axel said as he lightly rotated his drink in his hand.

"Hmm?"

"If Xemnas didn't lose his virginity to Zack…then he probably didn't lose it at all…" Axel said. "That should be interesting for Sephiroth. I'm sure he's done a lot of people. With looks like his…" Axel trailed off.

"Yeah…sure…" Cloud said. The statement indicated to Axel that the blonde was trying to hide something.

"Okay, what do you know about his sex life?" Axel asked in amusement as he raised an eyebrow at Cloud.

"That he doesn't have one…" Cloud muttered.

"Wait, you're telling me that a guy as hot as Sephiroth has never gotten laid before!?" Axel said rather loudly as he stared at Cloud in disbelief. Cloud stood up and practically ran to the other side of the table and roughly covered the red head's mouth.

"Shh! If he heard you say that he'd know that _I _told you! Do you know what would happen to me?! He'd turn me into a Cloud kabob Axel! A Cloud _kabob_!" Cloud muttered in Axel's ear nervously as he looked around the room in a paranoid fashion to check for any others that might be lurking around the corner. When he was sure that no one else was around, except for a drunk Zexion, Cloud let out a breath that he didn't even realize he had been holding and sat back down next to Axel.

"So Seph's still a virgin huh? I'm surprised. Pretty much anyone would love to knock him up." Axel said with a slight smirk.

"He knows that Axel, but that's not the point. He doesn't want any one night stands. He wants his first time to be with someone that he's really in love with and for that person to love him in return." Cloud said.

"A good moral to have." Axel said with a bitterness that surprised Cloud to an extent. "Wish it could have been that way for me and Roxy."

"You mean you weren't-

Axel snorted lightly before replying. "Of course not. _He _was still completely innocent when I found him. But _me _on the other hand…I had been used and disposed of so many times that it wasn't even laughable anymore. But then I met Roxas and all of that changed in a heartbeat. Ironic, isn't it? Considering that we didn't have hearts back then." Axel said as he laughed to himself quietly. "I never used to believe people when they said that sex was more enjoyable when you were actually 'making love' to someone that you cared about. I used to think that was bullshit until I met Roxas. When we had our first time…it was so different than anything else I had experienced. It was right then that I knew I was going to have to be careful with Roxas. I loved him and I didn't want to screw things up with him. I guess you could say that Roxas changed me for the better."

"I understand what you mean." Cloud said quietly and smiled to himself as he thought about Leon. Who, now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen in a while…

"Hey Axel?" Cloud said before Axel could leave the room.

"Yeah?"

"Promise me that you won't get so drunk that you let Seph's little secret slip."

"Hey, I'm not _that _bad."

"…You were acting like a _bull _for Yuffie about an hour ago…"

"That was simply because it was amusing. And everybody else was acting stupid so I didn't think anyone would mind much."

"If everyone decided to jump off of a bridge would you do it?"

"If it was fun and I knew I wasn't going to get seriously injured, then why not?"

"…Wow…"

"Hehe, my logic is pretty intense, isn't it?"

"Oh yes, I can see why Roxas thinks you're a keeper." Cloud said sarcastically as he stood up.

"Well that wasn't very nice." Axel said with a fake pout. "Where are you going?" The pyro asked as Cloud headed for the next room.

"Leon hunting. You know what that man's like when he's drunk. Better go find him before he hurts himself or someone else….or _something _else. Mainly a moogle and its defenseless pom-pom." Cloud said as he left the room.

Axel chuckled to himself when he heard a hiccup to his left. He had completely forgotten that Zexion was still there. Axel knelt next to the slate haired man and ruffled his hair with one of his large, thin hands.

"You may get drunk as easily as Leon, but at least you don't wander off and cause accidents. Although, _I _might wind up dead tomorrow when you figure out that I was the one that spiked your tea." Axel said as he stood back up. "Oh well, better enjoy the last moments of my life while I can." Axel said as he looked over to the living room to see that Roxas was waking up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a certain adorable blondie to take care of."

"Hey Roxy? You want to go sleep in our room?" Axel said as he sat down next to the blonde.

"Not anymore." Roxas mumbled as he put his head on Axel's lap.

"You sure? People are bound to get a little carried away out here." Axel said as he ran a hand through Roxas's hair.

"I don't care. You're comfy." Roxas said as he nuzzled his face into Axel's side.

"Alright. That's fine with me." Axel said as he smiled down at the drowsy Roxas.

* * *

'_Why do I know these people?' _Sephiroth asked himself for what felt like the millionth time that night. His "friends" were busy getting smashed. Luckily, there were still a few that weren't completely drunk. And to his surprise, Axel, Roxas, and Cloud were some of them.

"Hey buddy! Since you're the most sober one here, why don't you run down to the liquor store and buy us something. We're running a little low." Axel shouted across the room at the stoic man.

"Why can't you do it? You haven't drunk very much." Sephiroth said indifferently.

"I would, but I've got to take care of sleepy head over here." Axel said as he pointed down at Roxas.

'_More like you're too lazy. Damn insufficient pyromaniac.' _Sephiroth mentally sighed.

"Yeah, c'mon Sephi! Go get us some booze!" Yuffie slurred loudly as she tossed an arm around Sephiroth's neck.

"Yuffie?! Are you drunk?!"

"No! Why would you think that?! I swear to drunk I'm not God!" Yuffie exclaimed with a giggle. Sephiroth sighed as he grabbed the back of Yuffie's shirt and sat her down away from him.

"What do you want me to get?" Sephiroth asked. The question was directed towards everyone and the silver haired man soon got a response.

"Surprise us." Cid's slurred voice reached Sephiroth's ears as the said man looped an arm around Sephiroth's neck. Sephiroth shoved Cid away curtly and gave him a look that clearly said 'Don't think that just because you're drunk means that I'll hesitate to kill you.' The tall silver haired man then huffed and walked through the front door without a single word.

* * *

Xemnas walked through the darkened streets of Radiant Garden as he stared at nothing particularly interesting.

'_I've been gone a lot longer then I realized.'_ Xemnas thought as he walked past Tifa's crowded bar. Which from what he could see from the window contained no Tifa. Strange…

About ten minutes later he found the house coming into view and a pissy Sephiroth emerging from it. Xemnas's amber eyes lit up in wonder as the other man started to take long strides in his direction. Sephiroth was looking directly at him, yet at the same time, wasn't looking at him at all. Those mako green eyes held a bit of peevishness and although they were looking right into Xemnas's amber ones, they didn't hold the slightest irritation _for_ him. They were looking right past him, angered by something Xemnas couldn't decipher. Sephiroth shoved right past him without even bothering to glance at the other man as he continued going wherever it was he needed to go.

'I wonder what that was all about.' Xemnas asked himself as he opened the front door to the house. Inside, he found a plausible reason for why Sephiroth might be cranky.

'Maybe I should've stayed out a little longer…'

One hour later…

Axel had somehow manage to get Xemnas to start drinking. The usually very stoic man was quite the opposite of his normal behavior. He sat on the couch next to Axel with a reddened face. The pyro was too busy talking to Roxas, who had miraculously recovered from his drowsy state, to notice that Xemnas was slowly scooting closer and closer to him as the minutes passed. Eventually, Xemnas was practically sitting on Axel's lap. But, instead of doing so, he slid into Axel's lap and giggled contently. Axel turned and grinned at the mop of silver hair in his lap.

"Oh look Roxy, he's kind of cute when he's drunk." Axel said as he petted Xemnas's head. Xemnas hiccupped slightly and nuzzled his head further into Axel's lap.

"Never thought it would be so easy to get our Superior drunk." Roxas said with an air of amusement.

"Well…I kind of already knew…"

"What are you talking about?"

"Well there was this one time at New Years where we got him pretty drunk. It was before you joined."

"What happened?"

"…Lets just say that Xemnas is a lot more flexible that we thought he was. Never knew a guy could dance like that…" Axel said with a smirk as the silver haired man in his lap shifted.

"Hey! I'm still here you know!" Xemnas's slurred voice yelled as he tried to sit up.

"Yes, I know that. But you're so drunk that you won't realize you were sitting here tomorrow." Axel said.

"That's not true! I'm not that drunk!" Xemnas said as he lost his balance and fell back into Axel's lap.

"On the contraire Mansex. You are very, _very _drunk." Axel said with a bit of amusement towards the usually prideful man's antics.

"Don't call me Mansex." Xemnas slurred into Axel's pants. While he was lying there, Xemnas felt something looped uncomfortably around his neck. Unsure of what the item was in his state, Xemnas reached for the offending object and pulled on it. At first, all he could see was a thin, silver chain. But as he kept pulling, a delicate ring with one green gem and one blue gem came into his vision. Xemnas could barely see the ring, for his vision became blurry when a stinging sensation hit him just behind his amber eyes. Axel turned his attention from Roxas back to Xemnas when he heard a soft whimper emerging from his lap.

"Hey…you okay down there buddy?" Axel asked as he looked down at Xemnas with genuine concern. Xemnas sat up and took the chain off and stared at the ring attached to it misty eyed for a moment before tears started to roll down his tan cheeks. What started with a single tear turned into many tears as Xemnas curled into a small ball in the corner of the couch, clutching the ring in an almost painful looking manner. Axel and Roxas turned and looked at each other in concern as Axel turned and gently placed a pale hand on Xemnas's shoulder.

"Hey…what's wrong?" Axel asked soothingly.

"Zack…I'm sorry. I couldn't save you…I'm sorry." Xemnas said shakily as if he hadn't heard Axel's question. Xemnas continued to mutter somewhat incoherent apologies to his deceased lover while Axel and Roxas sat with a loss for words. After a while, Axel put his hand back on Xemnas's shoulder and shook him slightly to get his attention. Xemnas's tear strained eyes looked at Axel in confusion as if he had completely forgotten that Axel was there. In this instance, Axel wouldn't have been surprised if that were the case.

"It's alright now. You may not have Zack anymore…but…you and Sephiroth…I'm sure there's something there…" Axel trailed off.

Xemnas let out a short, but loud, bitter laugh as he turned to face Axel. "Something there between me and that beautiful man! I…I'm not good enough for him…I never will be…" Xemnas was suddenly in tears again. Axel hastily put an arm around Xemnas's shoulder as he and Roxas tried to comfort him with gentle words.

* * *

Sephiroth walked home while huffing angrily. Getting to the liquor store had been hectic enough with all of the drunk idiots that prowled throughout the night in Radian Garden. Radiant Garden! It sounded like such a lovely, peaceful town, didn't it?! Not when all of the houselights went down and the streetlights went up! Oh no, that was a completely different story! When it got dark out, the crazy drunks came out…most of them heading for Tifa's bar. Tifa! Damn that woman! Her and her upper body strength and her huge boobs! Who the hell opened a bar with a name like "Seventh Heaven" in the middle of a place like Radiant Garden anyway?! It was a wonder that men came in there to look at Tifa instead of each other! It sounded like a fucking gay strip club! Damn her and her stupid job bartending and the drunk horny men with a high libido undressed her with their eyes! Damn it all!

And it wasn't just drunks that you had to worry about! There were also the strippers, prostitutes and drag queens that you had to deal with if you happened to run into them. Just as luck would have it, Sephiroth always seemed to run into them whenever he happened to be taking a midnight stroll. (Which didn't happen very often.) All of them often tried to pick him up, no matter how distasteful and unapproachable he tried to look. Although it still surprised him to a degree when a hooker or a drag queen prostitute tried to go home with him. Weren't they supposed to go for the rich, homely, depressed looking men with the beer gut that headed for the "classy" strip clubs at night? Weren't they supposed to pay well? Maybe they just assumed that he was rich too and were just looking for someone that wasn't incurably hideous. Who knew.

Sephiroth had had his share of drunk idiots and prostitutes for one night as he headed home with liquor and beer under his arms. Sephiroth's eyes widened when he realized that he was standing in front of the house staring stupidly at the door. The walk back hadn't taken as long as he thought it would. His inner musings must have made the time pass quickly. Sephiroth sighed as he realized that it would be difficult for him to get out his keys and unlock the door without successfully dropping all of the delicate glass bottles under his arms. For good measure, Sephiroth awkwardly turned the doorknob and was surprised to find that the door was unlocked. What was lying on the other side of that door, however, was unexpected and made his heart sink to his stomach

On the couch Xemnas was crying pitifully into Roxas's shoulder. Axel looked up when he heard the door click open to see Sephiroth looking more than a bit confused. For one, Sephiroth didn't understand why Xemnas was crying. Second of all, Sephiroth didn't know why Axel was glaring at him so openly.

"Zack…I'm sorry…I was never good enough for you…and I'll never be good enough for you either…Sephiroth…" Xemnas said quietly. Sephiroth was shocked by Xemnas's statement and just stood there dumbfounded for a moment. Axel continued to glare at him as if he were expecting him to say something, but Sephiroth suddenly found his throat completely dry. He knew that he should offer the other silver haired man some kind of reassurance, but that was the one thing he couldn't do. People always assumed that Sephiroth was absolutely perfect, but, he was far from it, just like any other human being. Sephiroth always found it difficult to show his emotions to others, even if it was someone he had known for years. Although Sephiroth was never afraid of any battle he went into, the thought of telling someone how he _really _felt about them, in this case Xemnas, was terrifying. Not that that little fact would ever be admitted, that is.

Xemnas continued to mutter some of the most heart breaking words that Sephiroth had ever heard while he just stood there, not knowing what to do. Eventually Xemnas fell asleep, though it was hard to tell if his sudden sleepiness was caused by crying too much or from the amount of alcohol he had consumed.

Roxas moved to pick Xemnas up, or at least try to, (Who knew if he was actually capable of it with regards to his size compared to Xemnas.) but Axel stopped him.

"It's okay Roxy. I'll take him." Axel said as he picked Xemnas up with surprisingly little effort. The untrained eye would assume he couldn't lift anything very big. But the people he lived with weren't "untrained" assumers, now were they? Xemnas barely stirred as Axel lifted him, showing how exhausted he really was.

As Axel moved to go upstairs, all eyes seemed to turn to Sephiroth. (All eyes that were sober enough to care.) Sephiroth cleared his throat uncomfortably before addressing everyone.

"I…have somewhere else to be right now…" Sephiroth said as he averted his eyes and picked up quite of a few beers that had been previously forgotten and abandoned on the floor. Cloud watched Sephiroth closely as the man hurried out of the room at a quicker pace than usual. The blonde knew that something was wrong. Sephiroth _never _drank unless something was bothering him.

* * *

As Axel pulled the covers up on Xemnas's bed, he gave the silver haired man one final glance, standing up in the process.

'_Even __**you **__didn't deserve all of the things you've been through Xemnas…' _Axel thought as he left Xemnas's room and headed for his own. Once there, Axel sat down, beer in hand, and began to ponder his own life experiences.

* * *

Sephiroth laid on his bed and continued to drink one of the several beers he had brought up to his room. Sephiroth didn't even bother looking up when he heard his door open. He already knew who it was.

"Alright, tell me what's on your mind." Cloud said as he sat in one of the chairs in Sephiroth's room.

"Can't a man drink without a reason?" Sephiroth asked quietly without bothering to turn to Cloud.

Cloud gave a short laugh before answering. "_Some _men can do that. Like Cid and Luxord for example. But _you _on the other hand…I've found that there's always a reason when you start drinking."

Sephiroth only grunted in reply, but Cloud knew the other man well enough to know that it was exactly like Sephiroth saying something along the lines of, "Very observant Cloud. Now what do you expect to achieve from obtaining this knowledge?"

Cloud chuckled to himself as he chose his next words carefully. "Caring about someone isn't the worst that could happen Sephiroth."

Sephiroth turned to glare at Cloud, but the blonde wasn't intimidated by it in the least bit. He found it amusing that Sephiroth was able to keep his cold exterior in check with alcohol running through his veins. Then again…Cloud had never seen Sephiroth drink excessively…

Deciding that he should leave before Sephiroth actually decided to kill him, Cloud stood up and headed for the door. He could feel Sephiroth's eyes glued to his back. The spiky haired blonde chuckled before saying, "You know, the funniest part is you're both so into each other, but you're both too damn stubborn to admit it." Without another word, Cloud left the room, leaving Sephiroth to wonder on his own.

Sephiroth groaned as his mind grew fuzzy while he tried to figure out what Cloud had meant when he said…wait…what did he say again? Maybe he had had enough to drink…

* * *

Roxas entered his bedroom quietly and cautiously. The room felt very stiff when he entered and the aura was different. He could tell Axel was angry. The room always felt considerably warmer when he was in a bad mood. Roxas cleared his throat to get his lover's attention. Axel didn't even budge, but Roxas could tell that he had heard him.

"Axel…" Roxas said softly.

"It's okay Roxas. I'm fine." Axel said churlishly.

"But Axel-

"I said I'm fine Roxas!"

"But it seemed like you were really-

"I said I'm fine Roxas! Now leave me the fuck alone god damnit!" Axel yelled harshly. Roxas whimpered as Axel turned to him with angry green eyes.

"Axel…please don't close me out…I'm just trying to help!" Roxas whispered desperately as tears started to form behind his eyes. Axel's eyes softened promptly upon the prospect of Roxas crying. He realized that he had _never _yelled at Roxas, even when he was in the worst of moods. Axel made his way over to Roxas and embraced him securely. Roxas blinked in confusion and returned the hug slowly.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to yell…I'm just frustrated right now…" Axel said benignly as he took in the scent of the other's blonde hair.

"…It's okay…but…what's on your mind? You've been so distant lately…" Roxas asked serenely. Axel took Roxas's hand and led him over to the bed. Both sat down before Axel spoke.

"What happened to Xemnas…it shouldn't have happened at all. It wasn't right…what those monsters did to him." Axel said quietly, his chin resting on his pale hands.

"Of course it was horrible Axel. But that's not your fault." Roxas said as he rested his head on Axel's bony, but warm shoulder.

"I know that, but I just feel compelled to do something about it."

"That's why we're all leaving home in a week, remember? Those monsters have done enough damage."

"You know what really bothers me the most?"

"What?"

"The fact that I almost ended up exactly like him."

"Who? Xemnas? How the hell do you figure that?"

"After you left the Organization, and after I found out that DIZ was using you, I almost lost it Roxas. I would've killed anyone who stood in my way as long as it meant I could have you back. At one point it almost drove me completely mad. All that time I spent complaining about Xemnas and I didn't even bother to question if there was a reason behind his acridness. I guess what I'm getting at is…I could have easily _been _him. When you returned to Sora's body, I thought I had lost you for good. I wanted revenge so badly…"

"So you think that you could have ended up making the same mistakes that Xemnas did when he created Organization XIII and could have turned out resentful and lonely just like him?" Roxas asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well yeah, basically. I thought you would be a little more unsettled by the thought of me being like our ex-Superior. Why are you so calm about all of this?" Axel asked. Roxas laughed and looked at the red head amusingly.

"I don't doubt that you could have ended up like Xemnas, but one; you didn't, and two; I would have never let you." Roxas said.

"But by the time I was almost too far gone you were already merged with Sora." Axel said.

"Well then, I would've found a way to get Sora to go to wherever you were and would have taken control of the situation when he got there!" Roxas said playfully, but at the same time a bit seriously, as he snuggled into Axel's chest. The pyro had to smile as he looked down at his blonde beauty. He looked like a fallen angel with his eyes closed sleepily and his blonde messy hair. The moonlight bathed his skin, making him look paler, except for his cheeks, which seemed flushed compared to the rest of him.

"You look absolutely adorable right now, you know that?" Axel said as he lifted Roxas's chin so that half lidded blue eyes were looking directly into his green ones. Axel moved closer to Roxas, their lips just centimeters apart, when Roxas shoved him away suddenly. Axel blinked several times, clearly confused about what had just taken place. Roxas rarely pushed him away, especially not when he least expected it.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Axel exclaimed.

"You reek of booze. Go change your clothes and brush your teeth." Roxas said as he laid down in the bed and turned his back to his lover.

"Fine, I will. Demanding little blonde." Axel grumbled as he scratched his head and walked towards the bathroom. Roxas grabbed a nearby pillow and grinned satisfactorily when he heard a faint "Ow!" as the pillow hit Axel square in the head.

* * *

'_Why am I here?'_ Sephiroth asked himself for at least the fifth time as he towered over Xemnas. The room was dark, but Sephiroth could still make out Xemnas's figure because the moonlight filtered through one of the bedroom windows.

Sephiroth continued to observe the sleeping figure with curiosity. He noticed the way the man's eyelids fluttered every once in a while and his rather pretty, well defined face. His eyes traveled down to the sleeping man's tanned chest as he watched it rise and fall, wondering what the other's body looked like underneath the blankets…

Sephiroth shook his head at the dirty mental images that were starting to cloud his head and stared at the man's face again. Sephiroth knelt down beside the bed so that he was hovering much closer to Xemnas's face.

'_You deserve so much better than what you've received.' _Sephiroth said to himself as he leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on the other man's forehead. As he realized what he was doing, Sephiroth stood up hastily and moved as far away from Xemnas as he could without actually leaving the room.

'_Why did __I just do that?!' _Sephiroth asked himself frantically as he ran his hands through his long silver hair. _'I've had way too much to drink! That explains everything! Just had too much to drink!' _Sephiroth tried to convince himself as he cursorily left the room.

The next morning…

Xemnas squinted as the bright morning sun filtered through his bedroom window. Xemnas slowly opened his eyes and looked at his room.

'_How did I wind up here? I don't remember getting myself undressed for bed.'_ Xemnas said to himself as he observed that he was only in his boxers. _'I don't even remember coming in here last night. What's going on?! All I remember is coming back and everyone was drunk…oh no…'_

That's when it hit. The first thing Xemnas noticed was that his throat and mouth felt considerably dry. Then the pounding in his head crept up at him from out of nowhere. Xemnas groaned as he held his head in agony, but jumped when he heard a voice break through his realization that he had a hangover.

"You're finally awake." The voice said. Xemnas turned a little too quickly, which caused his head to hurt even more, as he found out who was in his room. Sephiroth was standing in the doorway, his eyes as piercing and beautiful as ever.

"What are you doing here?" Xemnas said as he held his throbbing head. Sephiroth was right next to the bed in less than a second.

"I figured you would need these." Sephiroth said as he extended both arms. One hand held a glass of water while the other held two painkillers.

"Thanks." Xemnas mumbled as he quickly popped the pills in his mouth and swallowed them with the cold water that slightly soothed his dry throat.

"Hey…do you know what happened last night?" Xemnas asked.

"No." Sephiroth said quickly. "I have no knowledge of anything that happened last night. Though I can assure you that nothing _bad _happened." Sephiroth said quietly. Before Xemnas could question Sephiroth's odd behavior, the other silver haired man was already speaking again.

"Now hurry up and get dressed. Everyone's waiting for you downstairs." Sephiroth said as he quickly turned to leave.

"Waiting for me? Why-

"We're having a meeting to discuss some final plans for next week." Sephiroth said from the doorway before rounding the corner and disappearing from Xemnas's vision.

'_The meeting…' _Xemnas thought. He had just now remembered that in a weeks time they were leaving. Leaving to face all of the fears he had tried to forsake years ago.

* * *

Author's Note: Well that's the end. Review, just like I always tell you guys!! ARRRRRRRRRRGGGG!! And no, I am not a pirate. Just frustrated! XD But seriously guys, review cause it's really amazing inspiration for me!! PWWWEEEEEEAAAAAASSSSSEEEE!! You know you can't resist! Lol.


	12. Old Faces

* * *

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon, soriku, zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club.lol.i'm horrible. :D

Genre: Romance/humor/angst/action/tragedy

Rating: T(possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: Shounen-ai/yaoi, language.

Author's Note: One more chapter down, who knows how many more to go. This chapter turned out longer than I expected it to, as usual. And more Yuffie is in here for Natalie. I think she'll enjoy it. XD Or at least I hope she will and the rest of the chapter for that matter. Now read and enjoy!

* * *

_End Of Chapter Eleven: Drunken Nights and Confessions-_

"_Now hurry up and get dressed. Everyone's waiting for you downstairs." Sephiroth said as he quickly turned to leave._

"_Waiting for me? Why-_

"_We're having a meeting to discuss some final plans for next week." Sephiroth said from the doorway before rounding the corner and disappearing from Xemnas's vision._

'_The meeting…' Xemnas thought. He had just now remembered that in a weeks time they were leaving. Leaving to face all of the fears he had tried to forsake years ago._

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Old Faces-

It seemed like a perfectly normal day in Radiant Garden. The kind where families and couples spent time either enjoying the solitude or going out with friends. But, unlike most people in Radiant Garden, Xemnas and the others didn't have time to enjoy the gorgeous day. They would be leaving in less than an hour. In truth, Xemnas was a little nervous about this new journey. He knew he wasn't fully prepared to face his past, but he also knew that there would be no turning back now that he had made his choice. He wondered about how their journey would start out, but somehow, he had a feeling that it would start off bad.

"I want to go with!"

"You're not going Yuffie!"

The yells were followed by several bangs and crashes.

Or was it a certain someone(s) that gave him a bad feeling about this expedition?

"It isn't fair! Everyone else is going! Why can't I?!" Yuffie screamed.

"You're just not strong enough to handle it Yuffie!" Leon screamed back.

"Says who?!"

"Says everyone! You'll just get hurt!"

Oh yeah, that was _definitely _it.

"You're being so unreasonable! I should be able to go to!"

"No Yuffie. You'll just get in the way." Leon said sternly.

"Get in the way?! I will not!" Yuffie whined.

"Yes you will. That's how its been the past few battles. Everyone's had to save your ass countless times. I'm sorry Yuffie, but these guys are just too powerful for you. You'll get killed out there. I hate to leave you behind, we all do really, but we're just looking out for you. We don't want you to get hurt." Leon said a bit more gently.

"Fine! I'll just ask Tifa! _She'll _let me go!"

"No she won't." Cloud budded in. "I already talked it over with her and she felt that it would be best if you stayed behind with Aerith and Cid." Yuffie's eyes narrowed as she pouted angrily.

"Fine. I'll stay." Yuffie huffed as she stomped up the stairs. Leon sighed and rubbed his temples. Yuffie often mistook his protectiveness of her for unnecessary meanness.

"Don't worry. She'll understand one of these days and she'll thank you." Cloud said as he hugged Leon from behind.

"I hope you're right. I hate it when that kid's mad at me." Leon said as he leaned into Cloud's embrace.

* * *

Everyone was inside doing some last minute packing before they had to leave. Everyone except Xemnas. He had already finished packing the night before and wanted some time alone. He was sitting in his usual spot at the Castle Gates staring out at the bright blue sky, wondering what was lying beyond, waiting just for him. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a light shuffling behind him, like someone was indecisive about whether or not to grab his attention. Xemnas turned to see a none to familiar brunette woman with green eyes and a pink dress.

"Aerith?"

Aerith didn't speak to him often. Even when she did, she only muttered a few soft spoken words.

"May I sit with you?" Aerith asked quietly. Xemnas nodded as the young woman sat down next to him, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin there contently. Both sat there for a minute staring out at the seemingly endless, clear blue sky before a soft feminine voice spoke up.

"There's a long journey ahead for all of you."

"I know. I still can't believe that I'm doing this."

"I'm sure that you'll all do fine." Xemnas got the impression that something was bothering the young woman.

"Aerith…if you don't mind me asking…why aren't you accompanying us."

"…I feel as if I won't be needed on this journey."

"What makes you think that? You're exceptional healing skills would be quite useful to all of us."

"The last time I checked, you were much better at healing than I am. You're the one that was almost a doctor."

Xemnas laughed to himself quietly at the girl's accusation.

"That may be true, but you're a much better cook than I am. You've spoiled the others too much. They'll starved to death without getting your home cooked meals every day." Aerith laughed at Xemnas's serious tone to a statement that should have been a joke as she turned to him.

"I'm afraid you might be right about that, but it's all right. I don't mind staying behind. Besides, if I leave Yuffie and Cid together for too long, we would probably come home to find half of the house blown up and both of them dead." Aerith said jokingly as she stood up.

"We should leave. The others are probably waiting for you." Aerith said as she started to walk away. Even though the brunette couldn't see him, Xemnas nodded and began to walk-or maybe it was stumble- into their new journey.

* * *

Many of the rooms in the house were bright and full of life. Everyone was still trying to get their last minute packing done. Most rooms were bustling with voices and the shuffling of feet, except for Demyx and Zexion's room. The room was dark for it being a sunny day and its two occupants were unusually quiet. Demyx hummed to himself as he continued to pack while Zexion sat on the bed with his arms crossed disapprovingly.

"I'd really prefer it if you sat this one out." Zexion said quietly. Demyx continued to pack as he spoke.

"I'm not staying Zexy, so just give it a rest already."

Zexion stood, sounding impatient this time.

"You just don't get it, do you?! I could have _lost _you a month ago! Don't you know what that means to me?!"

"Zexion I-

"Don't you dare say _anything _Demyx! You're not fully healed yet and you just want to go and risk your life _again _on some journey that will probably be twice as dangerous as anything we've faced before!" Tears began to run down the slate haired boys cheeks. Demyx's eyes softened as he embraced Zexion tightly.

"I know you don't approve of me going with you, but, there's no way I could just stay here not knowing if you were hurt or not."

"But what if the battles get worse Demyx? I wouldn't know what to do if you got hurt again. If Xemnas hadn't known what he was doing, right now you would be-

"I know Zexy, but I stepped in front of that attack knowing the risks. I love you enough to die for you. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I stood by and let something bad happen to you."

"That's what scares me! That's so selfish of you Demyx! I'd be so lost if you just went and got yourself killed for me one day! I _can't _live without you anymore. I no longer know how to. So please…instead of saying that you'd die for me…I want you to promise that you'll _live _for me." Zexion finished quietly. Demyx smiled at his lover and kissed his forehead.

"All right Zexy. I promise, but that doesn't change my mind. I'm still going with you and the others no matter what you say." Zexion sighed at his boyfriend's stubbornness as he kissed the boy on the cheek.

"Fine, but you better not die one me or I'll kill you." Zexion said as he chuckled at Demyx's look of confusion. "Now hurry up with your bags, we're supposed to be leaving in a few minutes."

"Okay Zexy."

Demyx watched Zexion swing his bag over his shoulder and leave the room. He smiled slightly.

"Silly. For someone that's so smart, I thought you would realize that I'd die for you anyway, if it came down to that."

* * *

Everyone was ready to leave. Well, _almost _everyone. There were still a couple of stragglers, such as Sora and Riku. The two were in their room making sure that they weren't leaving anything that they would need behind.

"Are you sure you've got everything?" Riku asked as he looked through his own bag for at least the eighth time.

"Yeah, I think so."

"All of your clothes?"

"Yep."

"Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant?"

"Got it."

"Boxers and hair brush?"

"Yep. Not that the hairbrush will really help very much…"

"Keyblade?"

"No Riku, I would never _dream _of bringing that." Sora said sarcastically. He had his back turned, so he didn't notice the smirk that had formed on his lover's face.

"Condoms?" Riku whispered hotly in Sora's ear as he wrapped his arms around the smaller teen.

"W-What?!" Sora stuttered as he turned to face Riku. The brunette couldn't tell if his silver haired lover was being serious or if he was just messing with his head. Sora gulped and cleared his throat.

"Well of course I did…I just wasn't sure if we would be using them or not…" Sora's face turned a bright shade of red.

"Of course we'll need them. I brought some too." Riku said as he moved to close the space between him and Sora. But, before that could happen, a certain loud red head interrupted from downstairs.

"What the hell are you guys doing up there?!" Axel yelled from the foot of the stairs. "C'mon, we're all waiting for you two to get your asses down here so we can get moving!"

"What are they doing up there?" Demyx asked as he stood at the bottom of the stairs next to Axel.

"I don't know. Probably making out or something." Axel said casually as he shrugged and walked away. Demyx followed him.

"Damn it." Riku said as his eye twitched. The silver haired teen sighed as he took his hands off of Sora and picked up his bag. Riku's ice blue eyes scanned the room one last time, stopping when they landed on a bag in a far corner of the room.

"Sora, don't forget that bag." Riku said as he left the room, assuming the bag was an extra that Sora wanted to bring along.

"Wait…Riku? This bag isn't…" Sora trailed off, not bothering to tell Riku that the bag wasn't his, considering the other was already out of hearing range. The brunette shrugged, figuring that the bag was Riku's and picked it up. It was surprisingly heavy. Sora heaved the bag down the stairs, wondering what the hell Riku could have possibly put in the damn thing.

* * *

Everyone was (finally) outside. They were standing in front of Aerith and Cid, who were standing in the doorway. Yuffie was nowhere to be found.

"Well, looks like we better head off." Leon said hesitantly.

"Yeah. The sooner ya leave the sooner ya'll can get back in tiny pieces." Cid said jokingly. Everyone knew that it was Cid's way of telling them to be careful and come home safely.

"Please be careful. We want all of you to come home in one piece." Aerith said. "I'm sure you'll all be fine. You have Xemnas to help you if anything goes wrong after all."

"Aerith?"

"Yes?"

"…Tell Yuffie that I'm sorry. I know she doesn't understand why we have to leave her behind right now, but I hope she understands that we aren't trying to treat her like she's a child. We're just trying to protect her." Leon said softly. Aerith nodded.

"Of course. I'll be sure to tell her. I can't promise that it'll be anytime soon though. I'm sure she's being fussy in her room right now." Aerith said. Leon looked up in the direction of Yuffie's room and smiled slightly.

"I bet she is." Leon muttered before waving goodbye and turning to leave with the others.

Everyone had been walking for a good hour. No one was really tired; they had had to deal with more perilous tasks that required much more energy before. Sora-as energetic as he was-was the only one showing signs of tiring. No one had noticed that the spiky haired brunette was falling behind, nor did they realize the extra bag that he was holding. Riku, the first to notice that Sora was lagging, looked back to make sure that his boyfriend was okay.

"Are you okay back there Sora?"

"Bag…heavy…" Sora panted as he dragged the bag across the ground.

"It's not my fault. I told you to pack light."

"Are you trying to say this is _my _fault?!"

"Well….yeah…it is _your _bag."

"No it's not."

"What do you mean it's not yours? Why did you bring it then?"

"I assumed it was yours."

"No…it's not mine…"

"But if it's not yours…and it's not mine…then who's is it?"

Sora and Riku stopped walking simultaneously.

"Hey guys! Does this bag belong to any of you?!" Riku asked as he pointed at the bag. Everyone turned around and looked at the extra bag. There were several nods of rejection and an occasional mutter that sounded like "no" that signaled that the bag didn't belong to anyone in their party.

"It must belong to Yuffie, Aerith, or Cid." Cloud said.

"Then how did it end up in _our _room?" Sora asked.

"Don't know." Leon said as he put a hand to his chin in thought. "Come to think of it…that bag looks a lot like one that Yuffie owns…"

Leon and Cloud's eyes widened when they put two and two together.

"You don't think she would…" Cloud trailed off as he looked at Leon.

"No…she couldn't…"

"She _didn't_…did she?"

"Only one way to find out." Leon said as he stalked over to the extra bag that could possibly contain an extra passenger that was strictly told to stay home!

Leon slowly unzipped the bag and took a look inside. The bag was completely dark on the inside, but he soon found out that what was inside was not going to stay hidden in the darkness for much longer.

"…The hell?" Leon asked himself as he looked further into the bag. He could see something moving inside of it.

"Surprise! It's the great ninja Yuffie at your service!" Yuffie popped out of her bag enthusiastically, most of the contents in the bag flying out with her.

"Yuffie! What the hell are you doing here?!" Leon screamed as he flailed his arms around hysterically, taking the time to notice that one of Yuffie's bras had flown out of the bag and landed in one of his hands. Leon shuddered and blushed at the sight of the undergarment and threw it back in the direction of Yuffie's bag. It landed on the female ninja's head. Yuffie looked at one of the straps cross eyed--it had landed right in front of her nose--and threw the item back in her bag.

"Jeez Leon, you like guys. Didn't think you'd have such a big problem with one teensy weensy bra."

"Teensy weensy is right." Axel muttered snidely.

"Hey!" Yuffie yelled as she threw a kunai at Axel. The red head moved out of the way easily. The ninja was about to pester the other further when Leon began to speak again.

"Stop it you two. Go home Yuffie." Leon pointed in the direction they had just come from.

"What?! No way! You can't make me go home after I went through all that trouble to stuff myself in this bag and get dragged across rocks and the dirt floor for over an hour!"

"Well maybe you should have thought about that _before _you did it. Now go home!"

"_Tifa!" _Yuffie whined. "Make Leon let me stay!"

"Eh…Yuffie darling…I know how much you want to come with us, but I'm afraid that Leon's right. It would be better if you stayed home."

"You can't be serious! You guys need me here! Think about it Tifa! You'd be the only girl on the team if I leave."

"That's never held me back before."

"I know _that_. But think about what could happen to the guys when you're on your period. _Someone's _got to make sure they don't all get castrated." Tifa laughed nervously as all of the guys shuddered. Xemnas was the only one that was confused. He had yet to see Tifa on one of her bad days.

"What are they talking about?" Xemnas asked Sephiroth curiously. The taller of the two twitched.

"Lets just say that Tifa turns into a reincarnation of the devil's bride once a month for a week."

Xemnas knew he didn't like the sound of that.

"I understand that Yuffie, but I'm sure the boys can fend for themselves when that time comes."

'_Lets hope we can.' _Leon thought as his inner self shuddered in fear.

"You heard the woman, now go back home. I'm surprised Aerith hasn't found out and called us yet." Leon said as he picked up Yuffie's bag and handed it to her. The young ninja pouted and crossed her arms as she headed in the direction of the house.

"Fine, I'll go, but you'll be sorry you didn't let me stay."

Luck must have been on Yuffie's side, because that was the only thing that could explain what happened next. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, a rockslide came and crashed to the ground, blocking the path completely.

Everyone stood in shock as they stared at the huge rock pile that had almost killed Sora. The rocks had landed just behind the brunette; one rock even came within two inches of him. Sora turned shakily to see the pile of rocks. His eyes widened when he realized just how close he had been to getting hit. The boy whimpered as he ran into Riku's arms

"That hit would have been a doozy. Probably would have killed you on impact." Axel said as he looked up at the pile nonchalantly.

"_Probably?! _Sora could have _died _just now!" Riku yelled as he ran his hands through Sora's hair in an act of reassurance.

"So I guess that means I'm staying." Yuffie said as she gave a triumphant grin. Leon shook his head.

"No, you're still going home. There's another path up ahead you can take. You won't get back as quickly, but it'll have to do."

Leon walked away without another word. Yuffie stuck her tongue out at the grumpy man behind his back as she and the others followed him.

One hour later…

Leon could see the small narrow path in the side of the cliff coming into view.

"The path's right up ahead." Leon said as he started to walk a little faster. His face fell when he came face to face with the trail. He found something he was not expecting.

"You have got to be kidding me."

The path looked like it had recently been hit by a rock slide as well. It was blocked completely, allowing no entrance to anyone who wished to cross.

"Yay! That means I get to stay!" Yuffie shouted ecstatically as she pumped her arms in the air.

"Not so fast Yuffie, we may be able to find a way around this." Leon said, causing the female ninja to pout yet again.

"I don't know Leon, this is a tough one to get around. None of us can climb up those rocks or destroy them without risking the possibility of serious injury." Cloud said as he observed to rocks, making sure to keep a safe distance in case any of them decided to slip and try to kill somebody.

"Maybe me or Sephiroth could fly her back home?" Cloud suggested. Leon shook his head.

"No, we need both of you here. We don't have time to wait for you to get back and you would have a hard time finding us if we continued without you. Besides, there's no way I would let you go."

"Why?"

"Because we both know you aren't quite as good at flying with your one wing as Sephiroth is with his four." Leon muttered so that only Cloud could hear. The blonde sighed, knowing that Leon made a good point. His wing would probably tire out before he could get Yuffie home. Leon turned to the ninja, lips pursed in a tight scowl as he spoke.

"Look, since there's no other path that will take you home and no one else can get you back safely…"

"Yes! I'm staying!" Yuffie yelled. "Come on guys, it's a good thing. You know you guys need me to-

"Just stay out of the way during battles." Leon inserted. "You could get hurt really easy out here." With that, Leon walked away, arms crossed in his normal brooding ways.

"Butthead." Yuffie grumbled as she continued to walk with the others.

Another hour later…

Everyone had been walking silently with no disruption for the past hour. So far, this journey had proved to be pretty boring. The most excitement they had gotten all day was Yuffie popping out of her bag and the rockslide that nearly killed Sora. (Though he probably didn't find that very entertaining.)

"We should find a place to camp out for the night. The sun's going to set soon." Marluxia said as he stopped and noticed the setting sun, its pink hue making his hair look a shade darker and his eyes lighter.

"He's right, knowing how quick the temperature changes in this region, we'll need to start making a fire soon." Zexion said. Marluxia turned to tell Saix something, but stopped when he noticed how tense the bluenette was.

"Saix…is there something wrong?" Marluxia noticed that his golden eyed lover's pointy ears were twitching. Saix suddenly lifted his head and seemed to sniff the air with a touch of curiosity. Saix's eyebrows furrowed, seemingly done with his assessment, yet troubled by it.

"We've got company." Saix said as a growl began to grow deep in his throat. Everyone looked up when they heard growls that couldn't have belonged to the bluenette. Saix's accusations were correct, they now had to deal with--unwanted--company.

"Shit, they're already back for more?" Riku said through gritted teeth. The question was rhetorical, but he got an answer anyway.

"Yeah, and it looks like they've got the same strategy as last time." Cloud answered. The others looked around to notice that the dogs did have a similar formation as they did the day Cloud and Leon had been singled out. The dogs were surrounding them on all sides, except for one because there was only air. It was a disadvantage, unless someone decided it was a good idea to jump off. The dogs also had the advantage of being at a higher view point than there human enemies. Everyone was there, and there were a fewer number of dogs, but there was much less space to work in. This meant that they would have to be careful. One wrong move could send someone flying into the rocks, making it possible for a rockslide to occur that could kill them all, _or _the small space could send someone to their death on the ground far below if they took a few too many steps backwards.

"At least this journey's starting to get interesting." Axel said with amusement as he and the others drew their weapons. The savage dogs seemed to take this as a signal that the humans were ready to fight. The dogs on the same level as Xemnas and the others stalked closer as the dogs standing on the cliffs above jumped down, going straight into battle.

Thirty minutes later…

The rabid dogs were as relentless as they usually were, but the others had spent a lot of time training after their first experience with the giant dog.

Leon was currently in a fight with one of the biggest, and fiercest, looking mutts that was in the latest pack of pesky savages. Even though Leon and the dog were on opposite sides, they had one critical thing in common: stubbornness. Neither one of them would give up until the other was dead. Leon was so engrossed in his battle with the large, vicious dog that he didn't realize that another one was sneaking up behind him. Luckily, Yuffie spotted the dog and threw a well aimed kunai at its head. The beast fell over with a loud thump as blood poured from its ugly head and pooled on the ground. Leon heard something make contact with the ground just as he killed the red eyed beast in front of him. He turned to see another dog already dead, but didn't realize who had killed it until Yuffie came into his line of vision.

"See! I told you! You _do _need me!" Yuffie said triumphantly. Leon just huffed and turned his back to her.

"Whatever." The stoic man grumbled and continued to fight. Yuffie puffed out her cheeks and glared at the brunette.

"Stupid jerk." The ninja mumbled as another dog spotted her and decided to have some fun with the seemingly easy prey. Yuffie gladly went into battle. The only problem was, she didn't realize how close to the edge of the cliff until it was too late. The dog had already provided no room for escape.

"Yuffie!" Sephiroth screamed. He knew the girl was about to fall, but there was nothing he could do to help her. He was surrounded by several of the savage mutts and couldn't get to the girl. Sephiroth's scream caught the other's attention and saw him staring at something in horror. Their eyes followed to see Yuffie's dilema. They all froze as Yuffie seemed to fall in slow motion. They waited for the girl to go right over the edge, but became confused when it didn't happen. A figure that none of them recognized seemed to come out of nowhere and saved Yuffie from death's clutches while the same person knocked the dog off of the cliff with a…guitar? The rest of the demonic dogs seemed to realize that something odd was going on and began to sniff the air. The sounds of curious sniffing soon turned to deep, guttural growls. It was like the dogs knew the scent of this mysterious savior and weren't too happy about the person being there.

The enigmatic being had landed on top of a nearby cliff, one hand clutched around the neck of the guitar while the other arm was wrapped securely around Yuffie. The figure let go of the girl as she looked up to find out what her savior looked like. Yuffie's mouth fell open and her eyes widened. It was clear that she had seen the person before, but it was still unclear to everyone else who this person was because they were wearing an old, tattered coat that hid their face from the other's vision. They waited expectantly for the being to reveal themselves.

The figure spoke suddenly.

"Xemnas, never thought I'd see you again."

Xemnas's amber eyes looked at the man questioningly.(It was obviously a man as indicated by the voice.) He _knew _the owner of that voice, but he couldn't put a face to it. He had heard it so long ago…

The man unbuttoned the ratty coat and threw it to the side. The coat blew off in the wind, momentarily covering the man's face again before blowing away and revealing it fully. Xemnas gasped silently as his eyes took in the sight of a man he'd assumed to be dead.

'_Haydn…'_

* * *

Author's Note: DON DON DON!! Cliffie!! Lol. Well guys, it looks like this is the end of another chapter. So review and tell me what you thought about it. This story is just starting to heat up. Trust me, there will be many more odd little twists to come. I hope you enjoy every single one of them!**I've been writing this story for a year now!!Isn't that insane!!XD**


	13. The Safe Zone

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon,soriku,zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club.lol.i'm horrible. :D I also don't own the lyrics to Kimya Dawson's song Fire.

Genre: Romance/humor/angst/ action

Rating: T (possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: language,shounen-ai,and yaoi.

Author's Note: Well guys, it's another chapter. I'm glad I'm writing this, cause it makes me happy to write it and gets me away from all the crap I'm dealing with right now. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

_End of Chapter Twelve: Old Faces-_

"_Xemnas, never thought I'd see you again."_

_Xemnas's amber eyes looked at the man questioningly.(It was obviously a man as indicated by the voice.) He knew the owner of that voice, but he couldn't put a face to it. He had heard it so long ago…_

_The man unbuttoned the ratty coat and threw it to the side. The coat blew off in the wind, momentarily covering the man's face again before blowing away and revealing it fully. Xemnas gasped silently as his eyes took in the sight of a man he'd assumed to be dead._

'_Haydn…'_

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: The Safe Zone

Xemnas and the others continued to stand there, completely dumbfounded by the fact that Haydn was _there_. They all just stood there and stared at him with their mouths open. Haydn was clearly beginning to feel uncomfortable as he jumped down from the cliff and landed next to Xemnas.

"Well now I'm embarrassed. Do you guys make it a point to gawk at people?" Haydn joked. Xemnas blinked a few times to make sure that he wasn't seeing things.

"Haydn?"

"The one and only."

"How…how the hell are you…"

"I think we should save the questions for later kid. We've still got mutts to deal with." Haydn said as he mischievously eyed the space right behind Xemnas. The silver haired man turned to his left and noticed that there were if, in fact, several of the dogs around. He had almost forgotten about them. As if on cue, everyone began to fight again.

The dogs were even more vicious than ever. It was like Haydn's appearance had triggered some kind of violent reaction within them. Though it _could _have had something to do with Haydn's ability to antagonize.

"Come on you stupid mutts. Show me what you've got." Haydn said while he swung his acoustic guitar in his hand tauntingly. Several of the red eyed beasts growled as they approached Haydn. Haydn's dark green eyes seemed to grin as one of the dogs crept up to him boldly. Haydn smirked at the animal's stupidity as he struck it with his guitar. The animal practically flew through the air, taking one of the other dogs with it as it fell off the side of the cliff.

"He's insane." Leon said with a slight twitch to the eye as he watched Haydn's odd, but seemingly convenient, way of fighting.

"Well, I guess whatever works for you." Cloud said as he killed another beastly mutt.

"I don't think I've ever seen someone fight in this kind of battle without drawing any blood." Sora said.

Everyone continued to fight, although a bit distracted by Haydn's antics, until all of the dogs were either dead or knocked out. It seemed as if the battle were over. Everyone was at least moderately tired, except for one of them.

"Well that wasn't so bad." Haydn said as he stretched out one of his legs. The others were a bit irked by his high energy levels.

"It's like it didn't even phase him." Sephiroth said as he scanned the man curiously. It was odd for a human man, with very normal capabilities and a small body frame, to be able to have such a high endurance.

"That's just how he is," Xemnas said. "hasn't changed a bit."

"So now that that's over…" Haydn said. Before he could continue, one of the more stubborn--and probably more stupid-- dogs started growling and stumbled over to Haydn. Haydn didn't even bother to turn around to face the mutt: he simply transferred his guitar to his other hand and hit the beast over the head. It landed on the ground with a painful looking bump on its head.

"Oh…sorry buddy, didn't mean to hit you that hard, but you kind of deserved it. It's not fair to sneak up on your enemies like that." Haydn said as he poked the bump on the dog's head with his foot. The others sweat dropped. Before anyone could pester Haydn with a billion questions, Saix took notice to how rapidly the sun was setting.

"Shit. We're in trouble if we don't find anywhere to stay soon. They temperature has already gone down about ten degrees." Saix said. Zexion shivered as a gust of wind went by. Demyx immediately draped his jacket over Zexion's small shoulders.

"Demyx, you don't have to-

"Yes, I do. You get cold so easily…"

"I do not."

"Yes you do. It's because you're so small…"

"I am _not _small Demyx!" Zexion said as he crossed his arms stubbornly. Demyx smiled at his lover's denial.

"Yes you are, and I'll protect you from anything, even if it's only from the cold." Demyx whispered in Zexion's ear and kissed his forehead. Zexion blushed at Demyx's words. Before the two could say another word they tuned in to something Haydn was saying.

"I know a place we can stay."

"In this area?" Leon asked.

"Yeah, just follow me."

* * *

Surprisingly, Haydn stopped walking within a couple of minutes. The problem was that no one could find any kind of entrance around. There were no other paths to take; it looked like they were at a dead end.

"Where are we supposed to go now?" Sora asked.

"Hold on a minute. I think it's over here." Haydn said as he disappeared around the other side of the cliff. "C'mon, I found it.!" Everyone followed Haydn curiously and saw a crack in the cliff that they wouldn't have noticed if it hadn't been pointed out to them. The gap was small, but it was wide enough for a grown man to climb through if they kneeled down and watched their step. Haydn ushered them to come forward.

"We can all get through if we go one at a time." Haydn said as he swiftly stepped through the crack.

"Won't the entire cliff fall on us if we make the wrong move?" Sora asked.

That's why I said to go one at a time. Just be careful." Haydn called from the other side.

"Easy for the short guy to say." Axel mumbled as he eyed the gap in the cliff warily. He didn't exactly get along with small spaces.

"Quit complaining Axel." Roxas said as he watched Sephiroth slip through the crack easily enough. "See, Sephiroth can get through and he's taller and not as thin. Now lets go." With that, Roxas slipped through the gap, Axel following him. The only problem was that when Roxas came out on the other side, Axel wasn't with him.

"See Axel, that wasn't so bad." Roxas said as he turned around to find that Axel wasn't behind him.

"Axel?"

"Roxas…I can't get out…"

"What do you mean you can't get out?"

"I mean I **can't get out**!"

"Did your butt get stuck again?"

"That's not funny Roxas!"

"I'm not trying to be funny, just insightful. The last time it happened you were in a much bigger space, so I thought it would be completely plausible for it to happen again in such a cramped area."

"I swear, you get your butt stuck in something _one time _and everyone expects it to happen again! Just to let you guys know, one of my chakrams got wedged between the rocks and now I can't move because there's not enough room!"

"Then just pull it out."

"I already tried that, it won't budge!"

"I'd advise you not to move anything." Haydn said. "If you pull it out the wrong way you could be killed."

"Thanks buddy, that makes me feel a whole lot better." Axel said sarcastically. "Just get me out!"

"How the hell are we supposed to do that?!" Roxas asked. "There's no way I can fit in there."

"But I can. Let me do it." Haydn said as he crawled through the gap. No one was exactly sure what happened next, considering that the break in the cliff was too dark for anyone to see into. They could only here the two voices from inside.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Trying to get you out of here without both of us dying beneath a bunch of rocks. I don't know about you, but I'd like to die more gloriously then being stoned to death by the forces of gravity."

"Well don't you have a way with words."

"Thank you! You're so kind!"

"How did you get behind me!?"

"I have my ways, but now I can see why they thought your ass was stuck."

"Oh screw you!"

"Now hold still so that this won't be too painful."

"Too painful?! What exactly are you planning on doing?! And what are you doing with that guitar?!"

"Getting you unstuck Haydn style."

Afterwards, everyone heard something hit Axel and a loud yelp emit from the red head as he flew out of the dark gap and landed on his face in front of Roxas's feet.

"What did he do?"

"He hit me in the ass with his guitar!" Axel whined as he rubbed the spot that Haydn had hit. Roxas couldn't help but laugh. Axel glared at him.

"It isn't funny! It hurts!"

"Oh, I'm sure it wasn't _that _bad. You have enough padding back there to protect you when it's needed."

"_Roxy!"_

"Heads up!" Haydn yelled from his place inside the gap as Axel's chakram went flying through the air, sliced a few of Axel's red hairs, and landed uncomfortably close to Axel's sprawled fingers. Axel and Roxas twitched.

"See! Now he's trying to kill me with my own weapon!"

"Stop it, he was not." Roxas said. Haydn came out of the break in the cliff, taking no notice to the glare Axel was giving him.

"You almost killed me with that throw." Axel growled. Haydn turned and looked at him with bored eyes.

"Well, I didn't kill you, so there's really no need to complain." Haydn stated.

"What did you do, get my chakram out of the rocks with your guitar too?" Axel asked snidely.

"No, why would I do that? That would be kind of silly." Haydn said as he blinked at Axel.

"Yet you don't consider hitting someone in the ass or fighting with an acoustic guitar silly?"

"Well…no, not really. At least not by my standards."

Axel's eye twitched.

'_I think I may actually agree with Leon for once. He __**is **__insane!'_

Axel's thoughts were interrupted as he was brought to the present conversation.

"Haydn, are we supposed to go through that cave?" Sora asked as he pointed to the dark, cold looking cave several feet away. Haydn nodded.

"Sorry about that, I got distracted by the red head with the big mouth. Yeah, we need to go through here. Follow me." Haydn walked forward. Once again, he completely ignored the growl and the distinct smell of fire coming from Axel's direction as the others followed him.

* * *

Everyone had been in the cave for only a few minutes and they were already sick of it. The cave was damp, cold, dark, and a safety hazard. Several sharp rocks attached to the roof of the cave had already nearly fallen on a few people. Everyone was getting irritable.

"Hey Roxy."

"What?"

"What was with all of the jokes about my butt? Don't talk about it like it isn't there! It has feelings too you know! And it's not _that _big."

"I never said that your butt was big Axel."

"But you implied it!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Liar…"

"I _also _didn't imply that I didn't like your butt."

"…What do you mean by that?"

"Mean by what?"

"What you just said!"

"Oh, _that? _Well, maybe I'll show you later."

"_Show _me?"

"_Maybe_…"

"Ugh…will you two stop it already, I'm grossed out by this cave enough as it is." Leon said. Axel frowned at Leon's smugness.

"Then maybe you shouldn't listen, _Squall_."

"It's kind of hard not to when you've got such a big mouth!"

"This has nothing to do with my mouth."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, really. These caves echo for your information!"

"A moron could have figured that out. I guess that means you're not much more than that."

"If I'm such a moron I wouldn't be able to take my charkrams and-

"_Enough _you two!" Cloud said. "Fighting isn't going to get us anywhere right now."

"Are we there yet?" Yuffie asked impatiently as she carefully stepped over a sharp rock.

"We're almost there, be patient." Haydn said. "You should probably get used to being in caves like this. If you want to stay in the area I'm taking you to, you'll have to go through quite a few of them."

"What do you mean?" Leon asked.

"The place I'm taking you to is a lot bigger than it looks. There are several caves like this one that'll get you in and out of it. Speaking of which…"

They were approaching the end of the cave. It was brighter at the end, despite the fact that it was starting to get dark outside. Soon an unexpected odor filled their noses. Was that flowers?

Their suspicions were confirmed as they stepped out of the cave. The landscape was completely different from what it had been moments ago. The damp darkness had transformed into a beautiful flowery scenery. It was like something out of an intricate painting. It was amazing to see that something like this could still exist in the outskirts of Radiant Garden, completely unknown and untouched by human kind. The serenity of the place would have been magnificent, if it hadn't been for the earth shattering squeal that emitted from one of the more feminine members of their group.

"Look at them! They're so pretty!" Marluxia yelled enthusiastically as he practically ran over to a particularly rare patch of flowers. "Saix, we've _got _to bring some of these home! Lets go look at more!" Saix groaned and tried to block out the strong smell of flowers by burying his nose in the crook of his arm as Marluxia began to drag him away. His sensitive nose detested having the strong perfume-like scent of flowers all around him. And he thought that Marluxia's garden was too much for his nose! Saix lucked out, because Haydn was able to save not one, but two people that day.

"You know, these flowers are really much more beautiful in the early morning. It would probably make it easier to see them too." Haydn said as he clamped his hand on Marluxia's shoulder.

"Hmm…you're probably right. In that case, we'll just go look at them tomorrow."

Marluxia walked off as Saix practically _glomped _Haydn. He _had _saved him from perfume scented hell, after all!

"Thank you kind stranger!" Saix said as his hold on Haydn tightened. Haydn laughed as he forced Saix off of him.

"Don't thank me just yet. You're still going to have to go with him tomorrow." Saix's mouth dropped open, realizing that hell was just deceiving him.

"What is this place?" Sora asked as he looked around in amazement.

"I found it not too long ago…" Haydn replied hesitantly. "It's one of the few places around here that has remained untouched by man. That's what I like about it. I know a nice place to find shelter, but we better hurry if we want to get there. It's going go be too dark to find it pretty soon."

"Why did you bring us here?" Cloud asked.

"Because it was nearby and no one knows about it. Well…actually…I have a feeling those dogs might…"

"What?" Everyone yelled in unison. They felt as though they were being tricked into walking into this beautiful sanctuary only to be ensnared by a pair of powerful jaws.

"Calm down, calm down." Haydn said as he waved his hands in the air in an act of defense. "They might know where this place is, but even if those mutts came here, they wouldn't be able to find us."

"How can you know that for sure." Sora asked.

"The scent of the flowers will overpower our scents." Haydn said. "Your friend obviously has a sensitive nose. He's been trying to block out the strong smell of the flowers since we got here. If his nose is _that _sensitive, it'll be about five times worse for those mutts."

The others saw that Saix was having a hard time keeping the scent of the flowers out of his nose, so what Haydn was telling them must have been accurate.

"That's another reason I brought all of you here. It'll be hard for them to find us, meaning that we can rest without having to worry about them attacking."

"Hmm…that makes sense." Sora said. "But where did you come from anyway? You kind of just popped up out of nowhere."

"I just happened to be wandering down the path above you on the higher cliff. It looked like you guys needed some help."

"Well that was convenient. You have such an odd fighting style though…"

Haydn laughed.

"Yeah, I guess I don't seem too conventional when it comes to that, do I?"

"If you don't mind me asking," Leon said. "why do you attack enemies with a guitar when you have a sword and a gun on hand?"

Haydn looked down at the sword and gun attached to his side and smiled.

"I don't like getting my hands dirty. I've had enough blood on my hands in the past, I'd prefer not to have any more unless I really have to. But trust me, this sword and gun have really helped me out in the past."

"You don't like to take your enemies down with a sword, but you've got no problem with knocking them off of a cliff with a 500 foot drop?" Sephiroth asked skeptically.

"Eh, they died before they hit the ground…or at least I think they did…"

"And what about the ones that you knocked out? What if they come back when they wake up?" Sora asked.

"Trust me, they won't even remember how they got there by the time they come around."

"How do you know that?"

"Experience, I guess. Jeez, you guys sure are full of questions, aren't you." Haydn said as he turned around and started walking backwards. Unfortunately, a horribly placed rock made him trip and fall backwards. Haydn screwed his eyes shut in an attempt to block out the pain developing in his lower back. When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was Demyx's face.

"Are you okay?" Demyx asked as his golden eyebrows knit together in concern. Haydn nodded, only to become enthralled when he laid eyes on the instrument in Demyx's hands.

"Is that…is that a sitar?!" Haydn asked as he leapt up. He studied the instrument in every possible direction he could.

"Um…y-yes…" Demyx said wide eyed, startled by the other man's enthusiasm.

"I haven't seen a sitar in years! I _love _these things!"

"Wait, you've _played _a sitar before?!"

"Yeah, but I wasn't very good at it. That's why I stuck to playing my guitar, but I still love the sound a sitar makes. How long have you been playing?"

"Well…"

Haydn's enthusiasm lead to a conversation about favorite bands, other interests, and one annoyed Zexion. Haydn and Demyx were bonding quickly, a little _too _quickly for Zexion's liking.

"You're kidding me? There's no way you could _possibly _control water with a sitar. I don't believe you." Haydn said. Demyx smirked as plucked a few strings on his sitar. One of Demyx's water clones emerged behind Haydn and poked the brunette. Haydn spun around to see Demyx's water clone waving at him cheerfully.

"I guess I _have _to believe you now."

"Told you I could do it."

"And I thought _my _fighting style was unconventional."

"About that…why doesn't your guitar have any scratches on it?"

Haydn looked down at his acoustic guitar. It was perfect. It looked as though he could have bought it quite previously.

"That's my little secret." Haydn said with a wink as he came to a halt. "It looks like we're here."

They were now on a completely flat surface covered in grass and hidden from unwanted eyes by a thick expanse of trees. Near the back of the expanse of greenery and flowers there was a cave and a freshwater stream. It was the idealistic place to stay for anyone who loved being outdoors. The cave was dry, clean, and provided enough space and shelter for all of them. The stream would also serve them well for cooking and bathing. As some of the others started making a fire, which wasn't too difficult with the abundance of wood and a little bit of magic, and some of the others decided to go get settled, Haydn turned back to Demyx.

"So Demyx, why don't we-

"Actually Haydn, Demy-_koi _(1)and I have to go get settled." Zexion intervened as he clung to one of Demyx's arms.

"Demy-koi? Since when have you-

"Come on darling, lets go get settled."

"But Zexy…we're living out of backpacks…we really don't need to-

"I said lets _go_, Demyx." Zexion said in a dangerously low voice through gritted teeth as he put a death grip on Demyx's arm. Demyx yelped and gave a shaky response.

"O-Of course dear…"

Zexion dragged Demyx off as Axel smirked at the sight.

"Jealous little bastard." Axel muttered as he noted Haydn's clueless facial expression.

"What was that all about?" Haydn asked himself as he scratched his head. "Oh well, I'm going to go catch some fish!"

"I thought he was a vegetarian." Roxas said as he watched Haydn get into the stream cautiously.

"He is, but most vegetarians eat fish anyway." Xemnas said.

"How does that work?"

"I have no idea."

A bit later…

Haydn was still fishing. Axel was bored, so he decided it would be fun to bug the new member of their group. Axel quietly crept into the water as he snuck up to Haydn and started to poke the other's head curiously.

"What are you doing?" Haydn said as he twitched at Axel's annoying behavior.

"I can't believe it."

"Can't believe _what_?"

"We've finally met someone who's almost as short as Zexion." Axel said as he sized up the height difference between himself and Haydn. It was unfortunate that Axel was so tall, because if he had been closer to Haydn's level he would have noticed the angry eye twitch and the low growl forming in the brunette's throat. Suddenly, Haydn's guitar came out of nowhere and hit Axel over the head with a loud bonk.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?!" Axel yelled as he rubbed the back of his head.

"He's very sensitive to comments about his height." Xemnas said, standing at the foot of the stream. Axel saw that Roxas was close behind him.

"_Roxy_! He hit me again!"

"You deserved it."

"Traitor!"

"You should know better than to pick on short people by now dear."

"Yes, how could I forget? Short people are a lot more dangerous than they look." Axel mumbled as he stepped out of the water and Haydn continued to fish.

Even later…

The fish were cooking over an open fire while Haydn sat and tuned his guitar. Zexion and Demyx happened to walk by at that exact moment. Haydn stopped tuning his acoustic and looked up at them curiously.

"Hey! Where have you two been?"

"I don't believe that's any of your business." Zexion said coldly as he walked toward the cave.

"Somebody's jealous." Axel muttered as Zexion walked by. Zexion threw his lexicon and hit Axel right between the eyes.

"Damn! Why does everyone keep hitting me?!" Axel asked himself as he rubbed the space the book had hit him.

"Oh, I don't know Axel, it couldn't have _anything _to do with your big mouth." Roxas said.

"Hey!"

"Well, it's true."

"Zexy…" Demyx said hesitantly as he reached for Zexion, but the slate haired man ignored him and disappeared into the cave. Demyx gave a defeated sigh and sat down next to Haydn.

"I don't think he likes me very much." Haydn said as he looked in the direction of the cave.

"Don't worry, he's always like that with new people." Axel said. "Give it time, he'll warm up to you eventually."

* * *

Everyone was either enjoying their fish or talking with each other. The only one who was absent from the group was Haydn, who Xemnas saw sitting by himself a little ways off. Xemnas decided that now would probably be the best time to talk to Haydn. They both needed clarification of what happened all of those years ago. Xemnas slowly walked over to the place Haydn was sitting. Haydn's dark green eyes lit up when he saw Xemnas sit a foot away.

"You're much more aloof than I remember." Haydn stated as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"A lot can happen in five years." Xemnas countered back as he pulled his knees up to his chest. They both sat in silence for a few minutes before Haydn cleared his throat and asked a question that Xemnas knew was bound to come up eventually.

"Is Zack…is he still…"

"No, he's not, I'm afraid." Xemnas said curtly. It was painful to hear someone from his past say Zack's name again. Both fell silent.

"I figured as much." Haydn said after a few seconds. "I just thought that maybe if you were still alive, maybe he would be too."

"I wish that that were the case."

Bothe fell silent for the third time. Xemnas listened closely for Haydn's movements and breathing. He could tell that the other was inwardly debating on whether or not to ask a question that had been lingering in his mind for a while. Finally, he spoke.

"How…how did it happen?"

"…_They _came."

"What?"

"They came and…they came and they killed him."

"Those god damn bastards." Haydn said gruffly. "I'm sorry kid, this is my fault. I should've stayed. Maybe if I had Zack wouldn't be-

"Don't blame yourself. It's my fault he's dead."

"How the hell could it be possibly be your fault?"

"Zack…he jumped in front of me. They were about to kill me and he stepped in front of me. He told me to stay inside, but I got scared and went to go find him. They were outside surrounding the house. They wanted both of us dead…but I managed to get away."

"That damn fool." Haydn said quietly. Xemnas turned and _really _looked at Haydn for the first time in five years. He was shocked to find how much Haydn had aged. To someone who had seen him for the first time, he would have looked like a young man with a thriving life and personality, but through the eyes of an old friend, you cold tell that Haydn had seen things that no living being should ever have to set eyes on. Xemnas also notice that his hair was about five inches longer than it had been the last time he had seen him. It was pulled back in its usual low ponytail. He noted that his forest green eyes seemed more broken and tired than they had ever been. He could tell that Haydn was masking a lot of pain behind those eyes. "I told him to be careful…should've known he wouldn't listen…"

"But even so, he loved you very much." Haydn said as he put out his cigarette and picked up his guitar. Xemnas waited to see what he would do. Haydn played a few simple notes before he started singing.

_It seemed like everyone I knew was dying_

_I looked in the mirror and I was on fire_

_Somebody yelled out "Hey, stop drop and roll"_

_I said "That might save my skin, but it won't save my soul"_

_That might save my skin, but it won't save my soul_

Xemnas closed his eyes as Haydn sang one of the many songs of his past. He found himself singing along quietly.

_You swallow hard and you bottle it up_

_Try to pretend you're a half full cup_

_Believe what they're feeding, you're eating it up_

_While I'm reading books about how they're corrupt_

_I'm reading books about how they're corrupt_

_He says he's protecting us but he's a liar_

_And I know deep down that it's down to the wire_

_My heart will stop if I put out the fire_

_As long as I'm burning, I'll keep on yearning_

_To save the world, not sure how but I'm learning_

_Since what they call the beginning of man_

_Blood has been shed for the rape of the land_

_They call it civilized, I call it crap_

_Our only hope is to look further back_

_Our only hope is to look further back_

_If we really want for this world to survive_

_We'll just take what we need to stay alive_

_It's a mistake to just take and not give_

_It's not true that we must murder to live_

_It's not true that we must murder to live_

_He says he's protecting us but he's a liar_

_And I know deep down that it's down to the wire_

_My heart will stop if I put out the fire_

_As long as I'm burning, I'll keep on yearning_

_To save the world, not sure how but I'm learning_

_I'm telling the truth the best way that I'm able_

_I'm placing my cards all face up on the table_

_It's ok to be scared, you don't have to act tough_

_Just take all that pain and turn it into love_

_Take all that pain and turn it into love_

_And let your emotions be fueled to your flame_

_Being on fire will keep you awake_

_If somebody yells out "Hey, stop drop and roll"_

_Say "That might save my skin but it won't save my soul"_

_That might save my skin but it won't save my soul _

Once the song was finished, Haydn looked over at Xemnas and smiled.

"I'm surprised you still remember that song."

"How could I forget? You sang it at me and Zack's apartment almost every day." Xemnas said. Haydn laughed at the hidden sarcasm.

"Well, I guess I can't argue with you there."

Xemnas cleared his throat to speak again. He still had a lot of questions he needed to ask Haydn.

"Haydn, after you left, what-

"Hey Haydn! Come here! You promised you would let me listen to that song you were talking about earlier, remember?!" Demyx shouted from the fire. Haydn sighed and stood up.

"Sorry Xemnas, it looks like we'll have to continue our conversation later. If I make that kid wait any longer he might send his water clones to drag me back." With that, Haydn walked away. Xemnas sighed. It seemed like something was always ready to interrupt him when he was in the middle of an important conversation. It was all right though; he could be patient, because he _would _get the information that he wanted eventually.

* * *

Author's Note: I'm awful! I left you guys with a cliffy yet again!! I love you guys! Please don't let your anger from getting another cliffhanger stop you from reviewing! I love your feedback! **Also, I have a new songfic one-shot up. It's a xemsai. Go read if you're interested.** )

(1) koi is one meaning for love. It's used a lot like chan, sama, san, and kun. Just letting you guys know if you didn't understand that already.)


	14. Well Kept Secrets

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon,soriku,zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club.lol.i'm horrible. :D I also don't own the lyrics to Kimya Dawson's songs Tree Hugger and Vampire.

Genre: Romance/humor/angst/ action

Rating: T (possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: language,shounen-ai,and yaoi.

Author's Note: Well, I'm back with another chapter. Hopefully I can squeeze two more in before school starts. I know I'm capable of at least getting one more chapter in. Hope you guys like this!)

* * *

_End of Chapter Thirteen: The Safe Zone_

"_Hey Haydn! Come here! You promised you would let me listen to that song you were talking about earlier, remember?!" Demyx shouted from the fire. Haydn sighed and stood up._

"_Sorry Xemnas, it looks like we'll have to continue our conversation later. If I make that kid wait any longer he might send his water clones to drag me back." With that, Haydn walked away. Xemnas sighed. It seemed like something was always ready to interrupt him when he was in the middle of an important conversation. It was all right though; he could be patient, because he would get the information that he wanted eventually_.

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: Well Kept Secrets

The night sky stretched above everyone's heads. It was hard to believe that so many stars existed. There were plenty of them in Radiant Garden, but they were nothing compared to this. There was a certain beauty to this place that you couldn't find in town.

"Kind of reminds you of Destiny Island, doesn't it?" Sora said to Riku. They were lying on a blanket in each other's arms, staring up at the stars.

"Yeah, it does. Do you miss it there?" Riku asked.

"Sometimes. I love living in Radiant Garden, but every once in a while I miss the island."

"Then I'll tell you what, once this is all over, we can go back to visit."

"I would like that." Sora said as he scooted closer to Riku.

Near the campfire, Demyx and Haydn were swapping stories and playing music. No one seemed to mind much, except for one small individual that was trying to sleep in the cave.

There were only two people in the cave, Saix being one of them. He was currently passed out. Marluxia had dragged him with when he went flower hunting. They were both gone all day, leaving Saix's poor nose to suffer the consequences. The blunette had fallen asleep upon arrival, his senses overloaded from the strong scent of a natural flowery perfume. Saix wouldn't wake up, even with all of the noise coming from outside the cave. Zexion, on the other hand, was not pleased with the constant interruptions from Demyx and Haydn.

Zexion was buried under a blanket, a pillow over his head to block out the noise, though this didn't help much. He could still hear everything that Demyx and Haydn were saying. Or, to be precise, everything they were singing. It seemed as if Demyx had already learned the words to some of Haydn's songs. He could hear them now.

_The flower said, "I wish I was a tree"_

_The tree said, "I wish I could be_

_A different kind of tree"_

_The cat wished that it was a bee_

What the hell were they singing?! The song made no sense!

_The turtle wished that it could fly_

_Really high into the sky_

_Over rooftops and then dive_

_Deep into the sea_

At least when Demyx wrote songs they had a deep meaning and were absolutely beautiful! But…but this…this _hippie_, his music had no important meaning! Stupid, _stupid _hippie with his _stupid _indie music!

_And in the sea there is a fish_

_A fish that has a secret wish_

_A wish to be a big cactus_

_With a pink flower on it_

How _dare _he grab Demyx's attention so easily! It had taken him _months _to get Demyx to pay that much attention to him.

_And in the sea there is a fish_

_A fish that has a secret wish_

_A wish to be a big cactus_

_With a pink flower on it_

What did that damn hippie have that Zexion didn't anyway?! Sure, Zexion couldn't play an instrument, and he sure as hell couldn't sing, but since when had that mattered?!

_And the flower_

_Would be its offering_

_Of love to the desert_

_And the desert_

_So dry and lonely_

_That the creatures all_

_Appreciate the effort_

Maybe Zexion didn't have the same talents as Haydn, but Zexion was definitely smarter! Well, he was more book smart than Haydn was. He had a feeling that Haydn had a certain type of smarts that Zexion could never have. Damn it! That stupid hippie was still winning!

_Et le jackalope a dit_

_"Je voudrais être un yeti_

_Pour voler dans la nuit_

_Et m'en aller loin d'ici"_

_Mais le yeti a dit_

_"Je voudrais être un monstre marin_

_Pour pouvoir rentrer dans la mer_

_De tous les requins"_

But Zexion was much _cuter _than Haydn! That had to be true! And was that _French _they were singing?! How the hell had Haydn learned that?! Didn't he grow up in an orphanage?!

_And the rattlesnake said_

_"I wish I had hands so_

_I could hug you like a man"_

_And then the cactus said_

_"Don't you understand_

Was it vain to think that he was more attractive? Maybe, but Zexion really didn't care. Sure, Zexion may have, in his own opinion, been more attractive than Haydn, but that didn't mean that Haydn wasn't attractive as well.

_My skin is covered with sharp spikes_

_That'll stab you like a thousand knives._

_A hug would be nice_

_But hug my flower with your eyes"_

Damn, that just made things worse! Not only was Haydn attractive, but he also had a certain charm that Zexion knew he could never pull off in a million years.

_The flower said, "I wish I was a tree"_

_The tree said, "I wish I could be_

_A different kind of tree"_

_The cat wished that it was a bee_

But so what?! Why did it matter if Haydn was attractive, charming, intelligent, and talented?! Zexion knew Demyx better than anyone, so that automatically meant that Haydn didn't matter, right?

_The turtle wished that it could fly_

_Really high into the sky_

_Over rooftops and then dive_

_Deep into the sea_

But Haydn had captivated Demyx from the moment that they had spoken to one another, and it was just getting worse by the minute. Demyx was barely speaking to him. Would he stop talking to him all together? Zexion began to think about what to do about the current problem until he heard Demyx and Haydn start a different song.

_I am a vampire_

_I am a vampireI am a vampire_

_I am a vampireI am a vampire, vampire_

_I am a vampire _

_I have lost my fangs_

What the hell?! Now Zexion was starting to suspect that Haydn was on drugs. There's no way he could write a song like that without being on _something_! Why couldn't anyone else see that?! Everyone seemed to love him. Even Leon and Axel, who thought Haydn was a bit insane, seemed to love him. Why was that? Why did everyone like him so much? Zexion didn't see anything special about him! Nothing special what so ever!

_I am a vampire _

_I am a vampire_

_I am a vampire_

_I have lost my fangsSo I'm sad and I feel lonely_

_So I cry and I'm very angry_

_And I eat some garlic_

_So I'm no more satanic yeah yeahI am a vampire _

_and I'm looking in the city_

_But the pretty girls don't look at me _

_don't look at meCos' I don't have my fangs_

_Cos' I have lost my fangs_

Especially when he was playing that kind of music! And dear god! Some of the others were singing along! Now they liked his music too, on top of everything else?! This was ridiculous! Zexion had to do something before this got too out of hand! He would never get to sleep with all of that noise; nor would he get Demyx back in bed with him if he let this continue, and it wasn't wise to leave Zexion sleep or sex deprived for too long.

Zexion's hands roamed the dirt ground, trying to find the item that he so desperately needed to get everyone to shut up. In the dim light of the fire, he finally found the item and smirked.

_I am a vampire_

_I am a vampire_

_I have lost my- _

"Shut the hell up! Some people are trying to sleep over here!" Zexion yelled as he threw his lexicon out of the cave. It was aimed for Haydn's head, but the brunette had quick reflexes and managed to duck before it could hit him. Demyx, on the other hand, was not so lucky. The second Haydn ducked, the lexicon hit Demyx in the face. Haydn sat up again and blinked at Demyx as he watched him rub his face in pain.

"Your boyfriend's got quite the arm." Haydn said.

"Yeah, I know." Demyx grunted as the pain really started to set in.

'_Hmm, I was hoping it would hit Haydn, but I guess having it hit Demyx is acceptable too.' _Zexion thought as he stood up and brushed the imaginary dust off of his pajama pants. He huffed as he walked out of the cave. His lips curved up into an almost noticeable smirk as he noticed Demyx's pained expression.

"Ow. Zexy, what did I do?" Demyx asked as he looked up at his purple haired lover. Zexion's gray eyes narrowed.

"Don't Zexy me! If you have to ask what you've done, you obviously haven't been paying any attention!" Zexion yelled as he started to walk towards the woods.

"Wait, Zexion! We'll stop playing music if that's what you want! You can go back to sleep!" Demyx shouted.

"It's too late for that now Demyx."

"Oh come on Zexion. What's wrong?"

"Absolutely nothing! Nothing's wrong Demyx!"

"Then where are you going?!"

"I'm going for a walk! It's not like you would really care! You have other priorities now, don't you?" Zexion yelled as he stomped off into the woods. Demyx's eyes became clouded with worry as he stood up.

"I'm going to go look for him. No telling if those mutts will show up. I don't want Zexy to be alone if they do."

"I wouldn't worry about the mutts." Haydn said. "I'd watch out for the wild animals around here. If they see Zexion they'll think he's easy prey."

Demyx's sea blue eyes became abnormally large.

"ZEXY!! COME BACK!" Demyx yelled as he flailed his arms in the air and ran into the woods.

"Good job, now instead of being afraid of his boyfriend dumping him, he's afraid that he'll get eaten first." Axel said.

"Meh, the wild animals probably won't go near Zexion. He looks small and helpless, but the small amount of meat on him doesn't appeal to most of the animals. They aren't that desperate."

"But what if one of those wild animals _is _that desperate?"

"Then I'm sure we'll hear the screams."

"You truly are a sick and twisted man…I like it."

"Well that means a lot coming from you bubble butt."

"Hey now!"

"Hehe…bubble butt…why didn't I think of that?" Leon sniggered.

"Oh, you're good Haydn." Axel said.

"You're far too kind, Axel." Haydn said as he lit a cigarette and looked towards the woods, watching for any sudden movement.

* * *

Demyx wandered through the dark woods, looking for any signs of movement or a glint of violet hair. Unfortunately, he saw neither. Demyx was starting to get worried. What if something bad had happened? Demyx would never forgive himself if he let Zexion get hurt. The blonde soon came to a clearing in the woods and was relieved to see the small violet haired man sitting a few feet off with his back turned to him.

'_Thank god, he's okay.' _Demyx though as he ran up to Zexion.

"Zexy…tell me what's wrong." Demyx said gently as he sat down next to Zexion. The violet haired man turned away from his blonde lover.

"I already told you, there's nothing wrong."

Demyx sighed at his boyfriend's cold behavior and realized that he was going to have to be patient if he wanted to find out what was going on.

"All right, I'll just sit here until you're ready to talk."

A few minutes passed and Zexion still refused to talk. Demyx, being his A.D.D self, couldn't take it anymore and started humming and tapping his foot to the beat in his head. Zexion turned to look at him.

"What are you humming?"

"It's a song that Haydn wrote. I really like it. It's really catchy and-

"See! That's exactly what I'm talking about!" Zexion screamed.

"What?!" Demyx said. "What did I say?!"

"You've been saying _everything _wrong lately, Demyx! Haydn this, Haydn that! Well guess what Demyx, I don't care how much you two have in common, he can _not _have you! You are mine and mine only, understand?!"

Demyx and Zexion sat and stared at each other for a minute. Zexion was still fuming and Demyx was speechless. It took the blonde a second to process what Zexion had said, but once he had done so, he started to chuckle quietly, which turned into a full scale laugh. Zexion's anger quickly dispersed into stupefaction.

"Why the hell are you laughing?!" Zexion yelled. Was Demyx making fun of him?! Did he think that their relationship was a joke?!

"_Oh_, I get it now."

"Get what?"

"You're jealous."

"What? I am _not_! I don't get jealous!" Zexion denied. Demyx laughed to himself and scooted closer to Zexion.

"Well, Mr. I'm not jealous, I think it's cute." Demyx then kissed Zexion's cheek, wrapping one of his arms around the petite man's waist.

"I am not cute Demyx."

"Really? I beg to differ."

"Well then, get on your hands and knees and start begging. I am a man, and men are not cute."

"How about adorable?"

"Even worse."

"You're so stubborn, but I love you anyway." Demyx said as he tried to lean in to kiss Zexion. Before he could, the slate haired man pulled away.

"Wait a minute, what about Haydn?"

"What about him?"

"I thought you two were…you know…"

"Zexy, do you really think I'd leave you for someone else?"

"Well…no, but-

"Exactly. Zexy, Haydn's kind of like an older brother to me like Luxord is. I just like talking to him because we have a lot in common, but none of that could ever amount to what I have with you. You're the most important person in in the world to me. I love you more than I could ever love anyone else. Besides, Haydn's way too old for me. We're like ten years apart!"

Now Zexion couldn't help but laugh at himself. How could he be stupid enough to believe that someone as sweet as Demyx would ever leave him? They both loved each other very much, and nothing could change that.

"Anyway, I'm sorry for not paying any attention to you. I should have realized why you were so upset sooner." Demyx said as he kissed Zexion's lips slowly. When Demyx pulled away, Zexion shook his head.

"No, I should be sorry. I'm just afraid that one day you'll get up and decide you want someone else."

"Zexion, I would never want anyone else. All I've ever wanted is you. Speaking of want…you know what we haven't done in a long time?" Demyx said as he pulled Zexion closer to his body and nipped at his pale, exposed neck. Zexion moaned and tilted his head back to give Demyx better access out of reflex. It felt like it had been so long since he had let Demyx touch him.

"Ngh…Demyx…we can't do this right now. Your injury is still-

"My injury is fine. It's almost completely healed." Demyx muttered between kisses planted on Zexion's jaw line.

"But we're in the middle of the woods. We can't just have sex here." Zexion felt his self-control dwindling away under Demyx's hot kisses.

"Axel and Roxas did it yesterday."

"What?! No they didn't! They went to go get wood for the fire!"

"Well they sure as hell didn't have any with them when they got back."

"Demy, I just don't think we should-

"Zexion, just trust me, okay? I'm fine, I promise. And if anything bad happens, you're free to beat me over the head with one of your giant books as many times as you like."

"Sounds good to me." Zexion said as he smiled into the kiss that Demyx was giving him.

Meanwhile…

Roxas had sent Axel to go check on Demyx and Zexion to make sure that they were safe. He had been gone for a while now. Roxas was starting to get worried when he heard a rustling coming from the bushes. The blonde turned to see Axel appearing.

"Did you find them?"

"Yeah, they're fine." Axel said as he pulled a leaf out of his hair. "They had a little kiss and make up session."

"And now?"

"Demyx is probably pounding Zexion into the ground right about now."

"Axel, why is everything always about sex with you?!" Roxas yelled as he raised his Keyblade in order to throw it at his perverted lover.

"No, don't hit me! I'm being serious!"

"You were watching them do it?!"

"No! They made up and then they started making out! They were half undressed when I left, I swear!"

"…Fine."

"Hehe…they were using the same spot that we used last night." Axel said as he sat down next to Roxas and snaked one of his lanky arms around the smaller boy's waist. There it was. Axel has opened his big mouth yet again and got a hit to the head. Only this time, it wasn't from Haydn's wooden guitar or Zexion's hard covered book, but from Roxas's steel Keyblade.

"Ow! Roxy!"

"Didn't I ask you _not _to say anything about last night?" Roxas said through gritted teeth.

"Hehe…oops, I must have forgotten."

"Ugh, I'm never sending you two out for wood again." Leon muttered.

"Maybe you're just jealous because I'm getting more in bed than you Squally-chan." Axel said.

"I'm getting plenty in bed, and at least I don't need a bubble butt to get it."

Axel's jaw dropped at the statement as Roxas snorted. He tried his best to make sure that Axel didn't see him laughing, but his attempts were futile.

"_Roxas_, stop laughing! It's not funny!"

"I'm sorry Axel, but it kind of is."

Axel pouted when Roxas began to laugh harder and turned when he heard a softer laughter coming from the other side of him. It was Haydn, the person behind his oh so true nickname.

"See what you've started." Axel growled.

"Sorry about that buddy." Haydn said as he saw Xemnas out of the corner of his eye. "Excuse me, I've got to go talk to someone else."

Haydn walked towards the place that Xemnas had secluded himself in and sat a few feet away. He had come to learn that Xemnas did not like being very close to anyone. Xemnas was no longer the person he was when Zack was alive, which was no surprise to the brunette, considering all that Xemnas had been through.

"I believe there's a conversation we need to finish up." Haydn said. Xemnas remained silent for a while before speaking.

"What happened…you know…after you left."

"I thought you might ask about that." Haydn said as he put his cigarette out on the rock he was leaning against. "I went straight into the front lines after I left. I hadn't had any sleep or anything to eat all day. I don't know how I managed to survive that first night."

"You must have had a good battle strategy."

"It had nothing to do with battle strategy. I was just lucky. I was such a fool back then; I still am. I've never been all that smart; I've just been lucky my entire life."

"You consider growing up in an orphanage lucky?" Xemnas asked. Haydn's hands clenched into fists, and Xemnas briefly wondered if it was because he had triggered bad memories, or if he had discovered a loop hole in the story of Zack and Haydn's childhood.

"No, I consider myself very lucky to have grown up in that orphanage." Haydn said quietly, without facing Xemnas. "After all, that is where I met Zack."

Xemnas considered this for a moment and decided to leave Haydn alone about the subject, if only for a while.

"…Everyone died." Haydn continued. "There were only fifty of us left on the front lines. Fifty out of two thousand soldiers…all of the people that I was close to died, including my captain."

"Your captain? Then who took over?"

"I did."

"What? But you don't really seem like the kind of person who'd want to-

"I didn't."

"Then why-

"It was my captain's final wish. I was with him on his death bed. He told me that he wanted me to take over his post. I wouldn't have done it if anyone else had asked me."

"You must have hated it."'

"Yeah, I really did. Killing under someone's orders is one thing, but to be the one to actually give out those deadly orders, well, that's different entirely."

"How did the war end? The news reports weren't much help."

"Figures. Our front line forces ended it. I gave the final orders for the final battle, so basically…"

"You ended all of it."

"I still don't know whether to be happy about it or not."

"They never mentioned you in any of the news reports."

"That's because I didn't want to be seen. I had to bargain with a lot of press supervisors to get out of being publicized. I didn't want anyone to know who I was. I've basically been hiding in the shadows for the past five years."

Xemnas gave an understanding nod as Haydn fell silent. He spoke again after a moment.

"I went back there."

"Back where?"

"To Kinosaki."

"You…you did what?"

"I went back there. I had no idea that the whole place had been destroyed along with everyone in it."

"They didn't tell you that sort of thing?"

"No, but it was mostly because we didn't want to know. We were already depressed enough."

"It still seems like they should have said something."

"They usually left smaller town out of the mix. For some reason they seemed to believe that a smaller population meant that the town was far less important than the bigger town and cities that surrounded them."

"Why the hell would they-

"That's just how the government was run back then. You remember, don't you?"

"Yes, unfortunately, I do. What did you find when you went back to Kinosaki?"

"Rubble…and a lot of rotting flesh. None of them were you and Zack though. I took some people that had survived the war with to help me look. We searched for days, and we still came up with nothing. I figured that you two were buried too far under the rubble for me to find you or that you had manage to get away and were hiding somewhere. I looked for both of you. I started asking around and I eventually found out some information about you."

Xemnas became tense. "What kind of information?"

"About your cause and the Organization you were forming at the time. So, is it true that you're a Nobody?"

"Yes, it's true…or, at least it used to be."

Xemnas could tell that Haydn wanted to speak, but was considering something first.

"What do you mean by 'used to be'? I heard that that Sora kid defeated you. If that's so, then how are you alive?"

"Ironically enough, Sora's the one that started bringing members of the Organization back. Roxas is, or was, his Nobody. They were merged together for quite some time before Sora found a way to separate them. Once he did that he had to get Roxas's significant other back, who's friends with Demyx, who's in a relationship with Zexion. How do you know all of these things about Nobodies anyway, Haydn?"

"…I did a lot of research on my own." Haydn said quickly, as if there were more to it than that. "What about Marluxia and Is…I mean, Saix?"

Xemnas could tell that Haydn was trying to change the subject of how he knew all of the things he did. Xemnas was also confuse with Haydn's hesitation in saying Saix's name. It was almost as if he wanted to call the man with the scar across his face by a different name, but Xemnas dismissed it and answered anyway.

"They're friends with the others that used to be Nobodies too."

Haydn cleared his throat uncomfortably. He could tell that Xemnas was starting to suspect something more was going on.

"So how did you do it? You couldn't have always realized that you were a Nobody."

Xemnas's eyes narrowed. He could tell that Haydn was hiding something, he just didn't know exactly _what _he was hiding…yet.

"It all became clear when they killed Zack. The man who killed him told me what I was."

"He only _told _you? What made you believe this enemy soldier?"

Once again, Haydn's words had managed to make Xemnas even more suspicious. It was as if Haydn knew that there was more than that to the story. As if he _knew _the enemy soldier. "No…he…he _showed _me what I was. I don't know how to explain it. It was like he took all of my forgotten memories in his hand and shoved them back into my head all at once. I don't know how he did it though…"

"I see. What did you do after that?"

"After I got my memories back? I had to spend quite a while gathering my thoughts and piecing all of my forgotten, jumbled memories back to together. After that I went back to the castle in Hollow Bastion where it all started and gathered all of the information I had obtained about the Heartless and Nobodies. Then I started doing more research, weeding out what information I had gathered was useless and what wasn't. Once I had obtained enough information, I started searching for the other five Nobodies who had done research with me when I was a whole being. Once I found them, I started searching for more. I knew that if I wanted to obtain my heart, there would have to be more than six of us."

"And so the reign of darkness and chaos began." Haydn mumbled.

"Haydn, you know something that I don't, don't you?"

"Depends on what that something is. Anything could be something."

"You know something about the Eiji's death, me, those _things _that killed Zack, everything which is involved with _my _past! Does one of those sound familiar to you Haydn?! Quit playing games with me and tell me what the hell is going on!"

"… I can't…"

"So you admit that you _do _know something?!"

"Even if I did, I wouldn't be able to tell you."

"And why not?!"

"Because I made a promise to Zack."

"What?"

"I made a promise to Zack." Haydn repeated. "I promised him that I would never tell you the things you didn't need to know."

'_So Zack __**was **__lying to me about something! But what did he really know?' _

"But why does it matter now?" Xemnas asked. "After all, Zack's dead."

Xemnas knew that he had said something he shouldn't have. Haydn's dark green eyes hardened and nearly turned pitch black.

"How can you say that?" Haydn said, his voice dangerously low. "Especially knowing how much he loved you."

"Maybe he loved me, but I could never have loved him."

"How can you say that after all of the things you two went through together?"

"I can say these things because I was a Nobody, a creature without a heart. Or did you know this long before I did? I can't really tell! I had no heart then, therefore I could not have loved him. Nothing can love without a heart."

"That may be so, but what about now?"

Haydn's words struck Xemnas deep inside. What _about _now? Now that he had a heart, did that mean he felt all of the feelings he thought he had held for Zack as a teenager? No, that couldn't be it. That wasn't a possibility.

"Having a heart doesn't make a difference now. If I couldn't love him without a heart, there's no way I could love him with one now."

'_Are you really that deluded, Xemnas?' _Haydn thought. He didn't know whether to be angry with the man in front of him or feel sorry for him.

"Oh, I understand now. I'm sorry you feel that way kid. But even so, it doesn't change my mind. You may not feel as though you ever loved Zack, but that doesn't cancel out my feelings for him. Even though he's gone, he's still my best friend. I don't break promises to the people that I care about, even the dead ones. If you want any information, you'll have to find it yourself." Haydn said as he lit another cigarette, silently signaling that their conversation was over. Xemnas gave an annoyed growl as he stood up.

"Fine, have it your way."

Xemnas walked away, unaware that he had passed someone else who seemed to be eaves dropping.

"Are you all right?" Sephiroth asked as he emerged from the shadows. Xemnas jumped at the voice. How had he miss the glint of silver hair and piercing green eyes lurking in the shadows? Was he really that distracted?

"I'm fine. Disregard anything you may have heard, Sephiroth." Xemnas replied coldly as he disappeared into the cave. Sephiroth's eyes looked after Xemnas for a long while, but averted his gaze when he realized that Xemnas wasn't coming back out. Instead he gazed at Haydn from a distance, noticing the sad, broken look in his deep green eyes. This made Sephiroth wonder what Haydn was hiding as he drifted into the cave as well.

* * *

Everyone had been walking for quite a while. The entire group was starting to become irritable. What had started off as a chilly early morning had turned into a sweltering hot afternoon. They had been traveling on the same desert-like cliffs for the past seven hours.

"Man, why did we have to get up so early? I'm beat." Demyx said with a yawn.

"Well, the rest of us went to bed relatively early. You and Zexion were a little busy last night, I assume?" Axel said. Demyx and Zexion blushed furiously. There was no way the redness in their faces could have been a bad case of sunburn.

"Shut up bubble butt!" Demyx yelled. Axel's smirk turned into a silent glare.

"Why couldn't we have just stayed in our safe spot?" Yuffie whined. She wasn't used to traveling in the kind of heat they were in right now.

"If we want to find out what's going on, we have to keep moving Yuffie." Leon said. "They're never going to come to us if we stay in hiding. You shouldn't have followed us if you can't handle it."

Yuffie stuck her tongue out at Leon, but said no more. They traveled a little while longer. They noticed that the number of cliffs were becoming scarcer and scarcer as they advanced forward. It was odd to those who had lived in Radiant Garden for most of their lives. None of them realized that the cliffs stopped here. They didn't understand why this occurrence was happening at first, but it became clear as they stepped foot into an endless pile of rubble.

"W-What is this?" Demyx stuttered uncomfortably. It looked as though something horrible must have occurred on the ground beneath their feet.

"It must be one of the towns that was obliterated during the war." Haydn said stiffly. Xemnas knew he was hiding something. As the silver haired man looked around, he realized that there was a familiarity about the place. He had been there before, but he didn't know why or when he had been there. The dry air that brushed against Xemnas's face smelled of a scent he had known before. There was also another scent that lingered after each gust of wind. It smelled of death and destruction…and of home.

"This is Rokugo." Xemnas stated callously.

"Very good, kid." Haydn said. Everyone was shocked. This used to be the place that Xemnas lived? The town was completely wiped out. Why would someone cause this much damage?

Xemnas looked at his surroundings. He wasn't surprised that the town was no longer existing. Its inhabitants had either fled or had been killed when the town was attacked five years ago. Everything was gone, except for the pain, even though Xemnas wouldn't let himself believe that the pain had ever existed. After all, he was a Nobody back then, a creature without the pulse of life, without a beating heart. Such a beastly creature would never be able to feel things such as pain, suffering, and love.

Xemnas continued to walk with the others. Although he was in their vicinity, it was as if he wasn't really with them at all, at least not mentally and emotionally. Xemnas had turned into a walking corpse as he looked at the place he used to call home with dull eyes. It was like his emotions were being swept away with the mournful ashes. Sephiroth took careful notice to the other silver haired man. He knew the others had probably noticed too, but none of them dared to ask. This didn't make Sephiroth hesitate though, because he wasn't everyone else.

"Are you okay with being here?" Sephiroth muttered. As far as he could tell, Xemnas was the only one who had heard him.

"I'm perfectly fine." Xemnas said, managing to keep his voice even, although Sephiroth could visibly see the man next to him shaking. Xemnas's face was turned away from him. Sephiroth assumed that this was for the best. He didn't think he could handle the look those amber eyes were probably holding. Sephiroth knew by now that if someone could deceive another with their voice, they most likely couldn't do the same with their eyes.

"Why would this place matter to me anyway? I could never truly feel anything back then."

'_Do you really believe that, Xemnas?' _Sephiroth thought as he lifted an eyebrow at the other man. Xemnas quickened his pace as if he were remembering things that he wished he would never have to think about again.

"Funny, I still remember where everything is, or, where everything used to be." Xemnas said quietly with a bitter undertone.

"How?" Sephiroth asked. "There's nothing here anymore."

"There's nothing here for _you_, Sephiroth." Xemnas said. Sephiroth felt a pang of guilt in his chest. "I may not have had the equipment required to feel the emotions that surround this place, but I'm forced to remember the illusion of those feelings every day of my life."

Sephiroth nodded silently, even though he didn't agree with the other silver haired man. He didn't feel the need to start an argument with Xemnas, especially at the place like this.

"That's where the hospital used to be." Xemnas said as he pointed over to a random pile of rubble. Sephiroth wasn't sure how Xemnas could possibly tell the difference between one pile of rubble from another, but, he could tell that Xemnas knew what he was talking about. "And that was where Kochi University used to be."

Everyone kept walking along, Xemnas mumbling something about where a certain building used to stand every once in a while. Sephiroth was the only one who could hear Xemnas, but the taller stoic man knew that Xemnas's words weren't meant for him; they were only for himself. His memories were the only reassurance he could find, considering he hadn't let anyone close enough to him in five years to comfort him. Sephiroth continued to walk, lulled by Xemnas's muttered voice. He didn't even realize that Xemnas had stopped walking until he ran into him. Sephiroth grunted at the impact and looked at Xemnas. His amber eyes were completely transfixed on one spot in front of him.

"What's wrong?" Sephiroth asked.

"There used to be an apartment complex right there. That was the first place Zack and I lived together. Although, I'm sure you already know which apartment I'm talking about after you and the others decided to stick your noses in my past." Xemnas said snidely.

"Xemnas…"

"Just save it Sephiroth, I don't want to hear it right now."

Before Sephiroth could say anything else, another voice cut in.

"Hey, are you guys okay back there?!" Cloud shouted. Sephiroth and Xemnas hadn't even noticed that the others were several feet ahead of them. They had been walking behind everyone else the whole time.

"Come on, we better catch up to them before they start complaining." Xemnas said as he started walking away quickly.

'_Or think that there's something going on between us.' _Sephiroth thought as he followed.

The rubble was starting to lessen, which everyone was thankful for. It wasn't easy walking through a destroyed town. It was almost impossible to get around without tripping over something or stepping in an unidentifiable substance. They were now traveling on something that they knew must have been a dirt road at one point. Now it was overgrown with grass, just like the rest of the area. No one noticed that Xemnas was starting to become apprehensive.

'_This is the same dirt road I traveled on with one of Zack's friends to get to Kinosaki.' _Xemnas thought as his eyes averted from side to side. Soon they were walking into more rubble, although there was less of it, indicating that a much smaller town had once stood there. Xemnas's apprehension grew.

"Xemnas," Haydn said. "are you sure you're okay with this? We can take the longer route around if you want."

Everyone was confused now. No one had realized where they were yet.

"Why wouldn't he be okay with going this way?" Demyx asked himself more than Zexion. The slate haired man thought for a moment when a sudden realization dawned on him.

"Demyx, where did Xemnas and Zack live after they evacuated Rokugo?" Zexion asked. Demyx had to think for a minute.

"They lived in Kinosaki, which was in the outskirts of Rokugo…" Demyx said the last part of his sentence slowly, his eyes widening as he came to the same realization that Zexion had. A few of the others heard him, and the ones that didn't caught on shortly after. All everyone could do was stare at Xemnas in disbelief.

'_Oh gods, too many eyes.' _Xemnas thought as he began to panic. He hated it when people pitied him.

"I'm fine. Just keep moving." Xemnas said, speaking with a caution that wouldn't allow his voice to waver. One look at Xemnas's hardened eyes told the others that they should listen to him. They hesitantly turned around and continued to walk as Xemnas let out a sigh of relief. At least he still had control over _something_.

Everyone was bothered by Xemnas's attempts to cover his own discomfort, but Sephiroth seemed to be the only one thinking very hard about it.

'_How can he act like everything's okay?' _Sephiroth asked himself.

'_The same way you can.' _Sephiroth's inner voice answered.

'_Shut up, I didn't ask for your opinion.'_

'_You can't shut me up. I'm you, remember? My opinion is your opinion.'_

'_Whatever. Just keep your mouth shut, I'm trying to think.'_

'_Is it really that hard for you to figure things out? I didn't realize you were that stupid.'_

'_I thought you just said that we were the same person. If that's the case, then you're stupid too.'_

'_Hehe, __**now **__you're starting to catch on.'_

'_I thought I just told you to shut up you insufferable-_

Sephiroth's inner ranting was stopped when he heard a broken, strangled cry emit at his side. Sephiroth turned to see that Xemnas's eyes were looking at his feet in pure horror. The man looked as if he were about to be sick. Sephiroth's assumptions were correct, because Xemnas ran a little ways off and landed on his hands and knees, breathing heavily.

Sephiroth was confused by this point, but also worried, even if he wasn't fully aware of it. His eyes widened as he looked down at his feet. It became very clear why Xemnas was so frightened. Sephiroth had been so absorbed in his inner conflict that he hadn't heard the light crunching noise coming from underneath his foot. When he looked, he saw bones that resembled those of a crushed human hand. A few inches away, the silver haired man saw a small item glinting in the sun. Becoming curious, he decided to pick it up. He realized that the small object was a silver ring with two amber colored gems. They matched Xemnas's eyes perfectly.

'_I've seen this ring before.' _Sephiroth thought as he examined the ring carefully. He thought for a moment, and suddenly everything became clear. Sephiroth let the ring drop to the ground as he stepped away from the now crushed hand in a disgruntled, horrified manner. That ring belonged to Zack…meaning that the bones must have belonged to him too…

A wave of nausea overcame Sephiroth, but he didn't have time to think about the sick feeling in his stomach before he heard a horrible retching noise from a few feet away. Sephiroth turned to see that Xemnas was about to throw up.

"Xemnas!" Sephiroth said as he ran over to the other silver haired man and kneeled beside him, pulling Xemnas's long hair out of his face without a second thought. He stayed by Xemnas's side and whispered soothing words in his ear as he emptied his stomach. His words didn't seem to be doing much good though; Xemnas was in a panicked state. He could barely breath, and Sephiroth swore he could feel Xemnas's heartbeat coursing throughout his entire body, however ridiculous that seemed. After a while Xemnas stopped puking and pushed himself away from Sephiroth, trying to steady himself enough to stand up. Sephiroth reached out to Xemnas in concern, only to have his arm shoved away roughly.

"No! Just stay away from me." Xemnas said as he ran off. He didn't care where he was running to; he just wanted to get away from Zack's remains.

"Wait, Xemnas! Where do you think you're-

"Just let him go." Haydn said quietly. "I have a feeling it wont be hard to find him."

Sephiroth would have questioned Haydn, but the dead look in those deep green eyes and the tenseness of the other man's usually carefree state told Sephiroth that he shouldn't.

"I need one of you to do me a favor." Haydn said after a few moments. "I need one of you to pick up Zack's remains. I just can't do it." Haydn said weakly. His whole body was shaking. Everyone looked at one another, wondering who would have the nerve to pick up the remains.

"I'll do it." Sephiroth said as he boldly stepped towards the bones. He could now see that there was not only a hand, but various other bones, including a human skull. "I was the one who made Xemnas realize they were here to begin with."

"Thank you." Haydn whispered as he watched Sephiroth cautiously pick up the bones in an extra bag that he had with him. Haydn nodded before lighting a cigarette and walking off to collect himself.

* * *

Xemnas wouldn't stop running. He hadn't run this much in his life, even when he had had to run from those enemy soldiers after Zack was killed. His heart was pounding so fast and so hard that he was starting to get scared. Living without a heart for so long had allowed him to exist without knowing how intense its pulse could be. Xemnas stopped running. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest that he was finding it impossible to breath. Once he had regained his ability to breathe properly, he started to get an eerie feeling. He had felt it before and he knew that this feeling could only be associated with this place. (Even if that "feeling" had been more of a phantom when he had actually lived in Kinosaki.) Xemnas slowly turned around, feeling as though he were being watched by an evil presence. His insides filled with overwhelming sorrow and dread when he realized a certain tree was right behind him. It was the same one that Zack had promised to cut down on the day he had died, the tree that always--and still--made Xemnas feel uncomfortable. He felt like crying, but he knew better than to do that after the embarrassing episode he had just had.

Xemnas could only stare up at the big, old oak tree for some time. It was odd that no other trees were still standing, but this one was. Although Xemnas should have examined this more closely, another thought crossed his mind that struck him. In the next second, Xemnas found himself wildly digging through rubble in the spot he guessed had once been his living room. He paid no attention to the pain of the cuts he was getting from digging through glass and other sharp objects. He needed to find it. What he was looking for had to be there!

Xemnas soon hit soft, wet soil and started digging through it, making a mental note to himself that the cuts on his hands would probably get seriously infected later. Finally, he felt something that he knew wasn't soil. He brushed some of the surrounding soil away, finally finding the wooden trap door he had been looking for.

Xemnas slowly lifted the trap door in apprehension. When he opened it, he found that the contents inside were exactly the way they had been five years ago. They had been completely untouched by time. He saw several photo albums, and underneath them, many of Zack's journals. Maybe he would finally learn of the well kept secrets that had been hidden from him for so long.

* * *

Author's Note: DON DON DON!! Lol. Another chapter completed. What will Xemmy find when he reads those journals?! Well, you'll just have to wait for the next chapter to find out!! XD. I'm horribly mean. But even so, please review!! You'll get the next chapter faster that way!! I also have some new one-shots up if you guys are interested in reading those. I would love your feedback on those as well.)


	15. Zack's Diaries Part I

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon,soriku,zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex .i'm horrible. :D But I totally own Zack and Haydn and everything that comes with them.=)

Genre: Romance/humor/angst/ action

Rating: T (possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: language,shounen-ai,and yaoi.

Disclaimer: Guys! I'm soooo sorry I haven't updated! Junior year is totally kicking my ass! Anyway, I want to thank everyone that has supported this fic so far. It really means a lot to me and I hope that you all will continue to do so in the future. I haven't forgotten about this fic! I swear! I'm just incredibly busy! Anyway, I hope that you all will enjoy this chapter. I originally thought that this would only be one chapter, but this particular part of the story will probably wind up being three chapters….hehehe…

* * *

_End of Chapter 14: Well Kept Secrets_

_Xemnas could only stare up at the big, old oak tree for some time. It was odd that no other trees were still standing, but this one was. Although Xemnas should have examined this more closely, another thought crossed his mind. In the next second, Xemnas found himself wildly digging through rubble in the spot he guessed had once been his living room. He paid no attention to the pain of the cuts he was getting from digging through glass and other sharp objects. He needed to find it. What he was looking for had to be there!_

_Xemnas soon hit soft, wet soil and started digging through it, making a mental note to himself that the cuts on his hands would probably get seriously infected later. Finally, he felt something that he knew wasn't soil. He brushed some of the surrounding soil away, finally finding the wooden trap door he had been looking for._

_Xemnas slowly lifted the trap door in apprehension. When he opened it, he found that the contents inside were exactly the way they had been five years ago. They had been completely untouched by time. He saw several photo albums, and underneath them, many of Zack's journals. Maybe he would finally learn of the well kept secrets that had been hidden from him for so long._

* * *

Chapter 15: Zack's Diaries Part I

Xemnas began to pillage through the box underneath the trap door, first finding only written documents and photos. Most of the papers he found were useless. They were mostly old bills, grocery lists, and papers about payments on the house. Xemnas had no idea why Zack would have saved them, but then again, Zack didn't _always _have a method to his madness. He had probably only put them there because he was too lazy to organize them and put them somewhere that made sense. Very typical of Zack. What Xemnas really wanted to find was the records that proved that Zack and Haydn had actually lived in an orphanage. He knew that Zack had said that all of the files were destroyed, but there had to be _something _left of that orphanage if it truly existed at one time. Xemnas searched through all of the unorganized papers, finally coming up with something that caught his eye. It was simply half of a blank piece of paper. The only think that was peculiar about it was the fact that it looked as if it had been singed by a flame.

As Xemnas examined the odd piece of paper, he flipped it over to the other side and discovered that it wasn't blank at all. The reverse side of the paper depicted some sort of ad about adoptions. Xemnas couldn't read much because the ad was so charred, but he could make out the year it was printed. The ad showed that it was printed in 1998, the same year that Zack turned eighteen. (1) If he was able to make out the month and the day, he was sure that it would fall on Zack's birthday.

'_It's just as he said. There was really a fire, but that doesn't mean that he actually grew up there.' _Xemnas thought as he continued to search through random papers. When he found nothing important, be turned to the photographs instead. Xemnas's heart clenched when he found the picture that had been taken on their very first date. He looked so much younger than he did now. The pictures reminded him that he used to have the blessing of being naïve and innocent, but that was no more. He could never be the person he used to be.

As much as it hurt to see how much he had aged in five years, it hurt even more to see that his minds image of Zack hadn't changed at all. Zack was still the same twenty-three year old he had been the day he died in Xemnas's arms because his sudden death hadn't allowed his lover to grow with him.

'_Zack…what kind of man would you be, if you were still alive today?' _Xemnas asked himself as he shook his head in an attempt to rid himself of those thoughts. Xemnas put the picture aside and looked at some other ones.

The next ones Xemnas found were of he and Dr. Eiji. It was so odd, seeing himself even younger than he had been in the picture with Zack. He had been even more naïve back then, and to add to that, very confused. He had had no idea of who or what he was back in those days. Xemnas wished that it was still that simple. Life was easier for everyone before his memories returned, but now all of the Eiji's were dead, as well as his past. He now looked down at a picture of Misa regretfully.

Misa's face was smiling back at him, in much the same way her father used to smile at him. He smiled as he remembered how close they had gotten. They had been like siblings since their first encounter. He had always treated Misa like a younger sister, although he was the one that was younger. She had always seemed much more youthful in his eyes, with a naivety and shyness that outmatched Xemnas's at the time. They had been close, but Xemnas regretted all of that now. He hadn't had a heart in those days, so he therefore only felt the illusion of emotional closeness. He shuddered as he remembered the image of Misa's gouged eyes and shred face.

Xemnas turned a few pages in the photo album to see a picture of not only himself, but of all of the friends he had made through Misa. He fondly remembered that had been the last time they had all gotten together before most of them moved to different towns. Little did any of them know that it would be the last time that they ever saw each other. All of his friends from his teenage years had been killed during the war. As far as Xemnas knew, Haydn and himself were the only living proof of what happened in Rokugo and Kinosaki. (Except, maybe, the enemy soldier that was responsible for killing Zack.) Xemnas was completely distracted by the photo in front of him, until he felt something fall into his lap. He looked down to discover that what had fallen into his lap was a rectangular picture frame that had obviously fallen out of the back of the photo album. Xemnas's eyes began to water when he looked at the photograph inside.

It was a picture of himself, Zack, Haydn, and Misa. If he remembered correctly, the picture had been taken during their first outing together. They had already formed their own little family. Zack had insisted on putting the picture in the frame. He thought that it held a special significance, and maybe he was right.

Xemnas put the photo album aside, deciding that he could look at it later when the items underneath the album caught his attention.

'_Zack's journals.'_ Xemnas thought. It looked as though the journals were the only thing in the box that had been properly organized. They seemed to be in chronological order, the oldest looking one was on top and the least worn journal was on the bottom. Xemnas picked up the first journal and nervously opened it to the first page.

Xemnas wasn't surprised to find that the handwriting was very messy and that the journal dated back to years before he had even met Zack. Xemnas noted that the date marked in the journal was 1987, meaning Zack was only seven years old when he had written his first entry. Xemnas was surprised to find that although the penmanship looked like that of a seven year old, the quality of the writing sounded older. Xemnas was intrigued by the fact that Zack has been able to spell and put sentences together so well at such a young age. Xemnas read:

_Dear journal/diary,_

_I found you today, hidden away with mommy's things. I asked daddy why you were there and he tried to take you away. I cried and begged him to let me keep you. He hit me and told me to never cry because that's not was our kind do. I wanted to ask why, but he would have hit me again. I don't like daddy sometimes…he scares me. I wish mommy were here. Daddy wont tell me where she is. I hope she comes home soon. I think I'm going to keep writing in you diary. I think mommy would like that. Daddy said he'd let me keep you if I stopped feeling emotions. I agreed, but I can't turn my emotions off that easily…but I can pretend. I'll just have to get good at hiding things, especially you, diary. Don't worry, it can be our little secret._

_~Zack _

Xemnas was puzzled when he came to the end of the first entry in Zack's first journal. So Zack hadn't grown up in an orphanage; that was for sure. If that were the case, why had Zack and Haydn lied about the way they had grown up? What had Zack's father meant when he said that his son had to stop feeling emotions? Xemnas had a feeling that he would only find out by reading more. Xemnas flipped to the next entry.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_I really miss my mommy. I want her to come home really bad. I keep asking daddy where she is, but he yells at me or hits me every time I ask. I hope mommy is okay. If something bad happened to her, I don't know what I would do. I love my mommy, and my mommy loves me. I know daddy doesn't love me. He doesn't love anyone. Neither do any others of our kind. Why is it so bad to feel emotion? Mommy shows her feelings to me all the time. But she always tells me to never show how I feel around anyone else. She says it's dangerous, but why? Why is it so dangerous? No one else's mommy's are as nice as my mommy. They treat their kids like daddy treats me. Are they all scared of feeling too? I'm confused diary._

_~Zack_

Xemnas found this entry to be even more confusing than the last. Zack's father was obviously abusive, yet the child acted as if it were an every day occurrence where he was from. What kind of society would openly treat their children like that and show no emotion and feeling toward them? Was it even possible to not love the own children that you created? At least Nobodies acknowledged that they could feel the phantom of emotions. These people, on the other hand, seemed to believe that emotion didn't exist in them. Who _were _these people? Another thing that bothered Xemnas was the fact that Zack was so smart for his age. It wasn't so much that it was unusual for a child to be intelligent, but Zack seemed to be in his own realm. Xemnas could sense that Zack was different from the rest of his kind, whatever that kind that may be, at a very young age and was painfully aware of it. Xemnas skipped some of the entries that seemed to repeat what he already knew until one of them caught his eye.

_Dear diary/journal, _

_Mommy still hasn't come home. Where is she? Why won't daddy tell me? I miss her. She's so warm, but everything around her is so cold. I'm starting to freeze diary. But it's okay, because all I have to do is remember what it was like to be inside of mommy's tummy. It was always so warm and dark, and I could always hear mommy's voice. I wish I could hear her right now. I wish I could feel her warmth. I feel lousy right now._

_~Zack_

Xemnas couldn't help but feel awful for the child version of Zack. It was horrible that his mother, the only person who showed him love, wasn't with him when Zack really needed her. Even though Zack's first journal was very depressing and heartbreakingly mature for a seven year old, it did reveal two things to Xemnas. One, Zack had definitely lied to him, and two, there were people in his society that felt emotions. As much as Xemnas wanted to feel betrayed for being lied to, which, he most certainly did, he was even more curious about the questions that still plagued him. What happened to Zack's mother? How did Haydn fit in with all of this? Were the children just as malicious as the adults in this society? He found the answer to his last question a few entries later.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_None of the other kids here understand. Most of them are just as bad as their parents, especially the ones who have started to develop their abilities. I'm glad mine haven't come in yet. I don't think I want to be able to see the thoughts and emotions of others. I don't want to see the fears of humans, even though I haven't even seen one of them yet. I'd love to meet one. It's amazing to me that they're allowed to feel all of their emotions so openly, yet most of them aren't all that strong. Why is it like that, diary? Why do the weaker race get to feel without hiding while I have to hide every last thing I feel in my heart? I just don't understand._

_I wish I had some friends that had emotions like I do. (What I really wish is that I had some friends to begin with, regardless of whether they have emotions or not.) All of them can sense that I'm different, which makes them hate me even more. Don't get me wrong diary, you're great and all, but I need friends that __**aren't **__inanimate objects. Maybe even a human friend! But I'm sure even __**they **__wouldn't except me. I'm very sleepy right now. I need to take a nap before I have to go train with daddy._

_~Zack_

Xemnas almost wanted to give up on reading Zack's journals. Every time one question was answered, ten more took its place. As much as Xemnas was tempted to put the journal down and pry answers out of Haydn, he had a feeling that the other male wasn't going to crack very easily. Xemnas sighed and continued to read the next important entry he found.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_I hate how advanced my writing is! Most human children my age don't have half of the writing skills that the children of my kind have. I still remember the day that daddy put a human's knowledge into me. It was scary. It was like a rush of energy hit me in the head, and all of the sudden there was all of this information in my head. In a couple of years, daddy will shove even more information into my brain, just like all of the other parents. I think I'm the only child of my kind that wishes they learned human knowledge on their own._

_~Zack_

A chill ran down Xemnas's spine. The process that the young Zack had described sounded a lot like the same thing that the enemy soldier that had killed his lover had done to him. Xemnas tried to shake off that possibility by reading an entry that had been written on the same day as the previous one.

_Dear diary/journal, _

_I just thought of something that I forgot to mention earlier. Everyone at school laughed when they read some of the writing our teacher showed us from human children our own age. They thought it was stupid. The spell lots of words wrong and don't know much about grammar. Through all of this, I realized something, diary. They can't be stupid, because our writing skills are taken from the ones that the humans obtain by learning on their own and working really hard. In a way, we're only as smart as them, so the kids at school are just insulting themselves. I think that our people are lazy, diary. Most of what they learn is taken from humans who worked hard to become smarter, only to have it taken away by the demons that feed on them. I think it's really sad to have something as precious as knowledge taken away from you. I wish I could meet a human and talk to them, even if it were just for a couple of minutes._

_~Zack_

Xemnas was surprised to see how mature Zack was in this entry. Zack had written that they were demons, but was he only saying that figuratively? Was it even possible for a seven year old to do that? Not that he would be surprised if the _were _demons. Those things seemed like monsters. Yet, if they really were demons, it made the likelihood of Zack being related to the very beasts that had haunted him for years very probable. Xemnas hated the idea of this possibility, but continued to read anyway. He noticed that the year skipped to 1988. Zack was a year older.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_I hate being the son of our clans leader. Everyone expects you to rise and be just as powerful as your father. I'm not him, and I don't want to be him. They sneer at me because I'm so weak and full of emotion. I'm really trying to hide my emotions diary, but sometimes things just get hard and I break down. Thankfully that hasn't happened in front of everyone. They'd kill me for sure if they saw, even if I am my father's son. He'd probably be the one to give off the order to __**have **__me killed. Daddy thinks I'm a disgrace, but at the same time he thinks I have a lot of power in me. This is the only reason he keeps me. He wants a powerful son that can take over…or maybe when he's satisfied he'll kill me and absorb me like he's done with a lot of others. I have to go to bed now diary. Mommy still isn't home._

_~Zack_

Xemnas had once again been reminded of the red eyed man who was still pursuing him after five years. It scared him, but the note Zack made about his father _absorbing _people struck him as odd. If this man could really do that, what were his reasons? Xemnas was surprised to find that he was on the last entry in Zack's first journal. Every word tugged at his heart strings.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_I hate daddy. He took mommy away and killed her. Why would he do that to someone as nice as mommy? She never did anything wrong. It's my fault. I let mommy love me, so she died because of it. I found a note written on the back of this journal by you, mommy._

'_Zack, my beautiful little boy, if you're reading this, I'm already gone. Your father has probably told you that I've left on business or something of that degree. Do not believe what he tells you Zack. Never trust him little one, for a man that lies to his son about his mother's death will lie to him about everything else. You're father has killed me for having these emotions for you. Don't blame yourself Zack, because having you in my life has been one of the few things that has brought me happiness. Never let go of your emotions Zack; they are a blessing in disguise in a land like this. I want you to be strong and hide this blessing from those who will not understand. I know you feel that you are alone, but there are others like you in our clan. I know you will rise above what you have been raised in and make something great of yourself. I know you will without me having to tell you to do so. Remember that I will always love you, and will always watch over you and those who are important to you. Don't cry for me, for I am always right next to you. Be strong son, and never forget all that I have taught you.'_

_Love,_

_Mommy_

_I love you too, mommy. I could never forget you, but I will never stop crying for you. I know you don't think it's my fault, but it is. I should have known what daddy was going to do, and I should have pushed you away so this wouldn't happen. I'll never forget you mommy, and I __**will **__get away from daddy one day. I won't let him get away with this. _

_~Zack_

Xemnas was on the verge of tears. The thought that Zack's father would kill his own wife was awful, and the fact that an eight year old boy would blame himself for what happened was too heartbreaking for words. Xemnas checked the back of the journal to see if the note from Zack's mother was really there, and found that it was. Xemnas closed the journal, wondering if he should actually read the next one. He had been so eager to find out about Zack's enigmatic past that he hadn't considered the feelings that would come from knowing the truth. Xemnas picked up the next journal in the pile and looked down at it hesitantly, reminded on his injured hands again. The deep cuts he had obtained from digging through the rubble were caked in dirt and were starting to swell. Against his better judgment, Xemnas opened the next journal, deciding that he should gain something more from being in this place than hands that looked as though they were about to get seriously infected.

The next journal contained entries that were so depressing and mature that Xemnas would have never believed and eight-year-old boy had written them if he had not read the first journal.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_I'm sorry I didn't continue you sooner, but things have been really tough since mom died. It's been two months since I found out, and it gets harder every day. I still can't come to terms with the fact that she's gone. It hurts more each day, and I grow lonelier as time passes. All of the kids at school can sense my grief, and it only makes them more disgusted with me. I can't stand this! I don't have any friends and the only family I have despises me…but, I don't understand why. I'm not all that strong, and my mind reading abilities aren't all that advanced. I just don't know how to feel about anything anymore._

_~Zack_

It truly amazed Xemnas to see how much Zack had matured in a matter of months. He was only a small child when he wrote the entries, yet he sounded like he was already in his teens. He couldn't even begin to imagine the loneliness and pain the child felt. Xemnas read the next entry.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_The loneliness is about to consume me. I wish I was dead. I long to be a being without emotion, lying dead and cold in the ground. If there were just one person in my life that actually gave a damn about me, I think I'd be blessed. If there was just one person I could see that made it worth living, I think I would be able to make it through the day. So mom, if you're up in heaven right now watching over me, would you please send me at least one friend to fill the void you left behind? I hope that's not asking for too much._

_~Zack_

Xemnas thought about Zack's journal entry and wondered if this was where Haydn would come into the picture. He realized that he would never know unless he kept reading.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_What I sad earlier about heaven…I constantly wonder if it really exists. In our clan heaven is a mere myth; there is no faith here. That's what fascinates me about humans. They have the ability to feel that there is a god without a doubt in their minds. I know it's not that perfect among humans, but why can't we be more like them? Why can't we believe in whatever we choose, instead of having the idea that there is no god. I think that humans are luckier than they realize._

_Well, one thing is for certain. Everyone in my clan thinks that there is no god above us, that we are the supreme gods destined to take over the world, but I know that there is a god that is more powerful than we ever will be. There just has to be. I know because I can feel mom watching over me right now._

_~Zack_

Xemnas read the entry again and wondered what the hell these people, or demons, _did _believe in. Xemnas shook his head, realizing that this question was probably not all that relevant as he flipped a few pages. His eyes fell to another entry that made him curious.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_I hate how our people think humans are so stupid. If they are so unintelligent, then we must be too. All of our common knowledge is taken from them, so how can we be stupid? Even though I've never met a human, I feel that they are so much braver and stronger and smarter than we are. My kind hide behind their power and inability to feel emotions; they don't learn anything for themselves, only take what others worked to learn. How does that make us any better, diary? Dad says that it's because we harness their abilities quickly, but that's not really true. Their memories and thought processes are only shoved into our heads, and suddenly it's like we've known whatever ideas have been pushed into our heads our whole lives. The knowledge becomes innate. I'm glad that we can't take the ideas from those in our own clan member's heads and force them onto other people. If dad could do that, I'd be in a lot of trouble._

_~Zack_

Xemnas once again flipped a few pages until he found an entry that caught his eye.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_Mommy, I'm so lonely here. It hurts because I can still feel you here. You're everywhere I go, but even though it hurts, I'm glad you're still here. If you weren't, I think I'd die of loneliness. I wish that I could hug you, just once! The fact that you're here, but I can't see or touch you hurts so bad! It makes me miss you more every day. I'm sorry for being so repetitive, diary, but I really __**really **__miss her. I wish I had a friend. At least then there would be someone to distract me._

_~Zack_

Xemnas flipped through the journal and found that many of the entries after the one he had just read were depressing poetry entries that sounded near suicidal. Xemnas couldn't believe that a mere eight year old boy would feel this way. Xemnas came to another entry that seemed to hold significance and read:

_Dear diary/journal,_

_I had another dream about mom last night. It wasn't like the other ones though. In most of my dreams, mom's standing far away from me, and I'm trying to catch up to her. But it's like no matter how fast I run or how many times I scream her name, she can't hear me and I can't get to her. It's like the more I try to catch up to her, the farther away she gets._

_This is what my dreams are usually like, but like I said; this was different. Mom actually __**talked **__to me. She kept telling me to be patient, that something good is just around the corner. I tried to ask her what she meant, but every time I tried to speak nothing came out. Then she just left, and I couldn't do anything about it. Dreams really are a cruel thing diary._

_~Zack_

Xemnas thought that Haydn _must _be coming into Zack's life soon. The dream had to be a sign! Xemnas damned his impatience as he flipped a few pages and read another entry.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_I've been having the same dream for a week now. What is my mom trying to tell me? I know she's trying to tell me something, but I just don't know __**what**__! It can't be a meaningless dream. She keeps telling me to be patient, but __**what **__am I waiting for? I can't take it much longer._

_~Zack_

Several entries later, Xemnas found the entry he had been anticipating.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_I met someone today while I was out by the stream. I know dad doesn't like it when I go out that far, but I just couldn't help it. It's so nice and quiet there, and I needed a place to think. I didn't even notice him. He was sitting on the other side of the stream, but somehow I missed him. He eventually came up to me and said that I was like him. I had no idea what he was talking about. I had never seen him before…but I had a feeling that he was right. I didn't get a chance to ask him about it though. He said he had to go because his dad would be mad if he stayed any longer, but he told me to meet him at the same place, same time, next week. I wish I had gotten a chance to ask him what his name was before he ran off. I hope he wasn't just messing with me like all of the other kids do. I guess I'll find out next week._

_~Zack_

Xemnas eagerly turned the pages until he came upon the entry written for the day Zack met with the boy that he presumed was Haydn.

_Dear diary/journal,_

_I actually went back to meet that boy today. I didn't think he would show up at first, because he wasn't around when I got there. He showed up after a while, and he did something that's forbidden in our clan. He let his mental block down. He actually__** let it go **__and let me see everything in his mind. It kind of scared me at first, but then I was kind of relieved when I realized that there was someone like me in my clan. I could tell that he faces the same struggles that I do, and that he was looking for a way out of the life we live. His mom is a lot like mine way. I can tell that she is one of those who made the mistake of showing her child affection and emotions. Her name is Kana. It's ironic; my mom's name was Hana. They rhyme…coincidences are so weird._

_The boy's name is Haydn. We never said a single word to each other, but I could tell that he wanted to see me again in the same place. I don't know when I'll be able to see him, but I'll be able to know now that he's opened his mind to me. I'm glad that I've met Haydn. I hope we can become friends._

_~Zack_

Xemnas thought the entry over in his mind. It seemed like Zack had some sort of power that Xemnas had never been aware of and couldn't explain. Xemnas flipped past several pages, finally coming across one about the friendship Haydn and Zack had formed. He noticed that the entries were now addressed to Zack's mother, as if she could read them.

_Mom,_

_I think that you meant for me to meet Haydn, and I'm glad. He's the best friend anyone could ask for. He's the only comfort I have in this awful place, and I'm thankful for him. I'm glad that I finally have a friend. Haydn keeps insisting that there are others like us…but I don't know. The whole idea seems far fetched. The only person I've ever met that's anything like me is Haydn, and __**he **__was the one that found __**me**__. I asked him how we're supposed to find these "others", but he said that they will only come if we are patient and wait. That's another thing I like about Haydn; he's much more patient than me. If he wasn't around, I wouldn't be able to stand all of this waiting._

_~Zack_

Xemnas laughed to himself as he remembered that Zack always had been a bit impatient, and Haydn had always been the calmer one in stressful situations. (Although Haydn was usually the one with the crazier antics.) Xemnas flipped through more pages until he came across a new entry that caught his eye.

_Dear Mom,_

_I'm so excited! I finally got to meet a human today! Haydn and I wandered off a little farther than we should have and found ourselves lost. As we were trying to find our way back, we met a human girl that lived in a small town nearby. We were so cautious around her at first, but she wasn't scared of us at all. It was so weird to see someone that wasn't careful around us. From what I've heard from dad, humans are really scared of our clan. Maybe this girl is just different from other humans, just like Haydn and I are different from the rest of our kind. She was so curious about us, but not in the interrogating way I thought a human would be. Her name is Lily. We got to play with her for a few hours, but then all three of us realized how late it was getting and knew we couldn't stay any longer. We had to leave really fast because Haydn and I both knew what would happen if our fathers found out where we were. I hope we get to see Lily again. She was really nice, and the exact opposite of everything my father has ever told me about humans._

_~Zack_

Xemnas contemplated Zack's encounter with the human child named Lily. He wondered if the little girl would ever find out about Zack's identity--whatever that identity may be--as he flipped to the next entry that involved Lily.

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn and I got to see Lily again today! I hope she doesn't find out about what Haydn and I are. I've only talked to her twice and I already think that she's a great friend…and I would be really sad if she found out about us and got scared and never wanted to talk to Haydn and I again. I mean, it's great to have Haydn as my best friend, but at the same time, I think we both want something more than that. I know that sounds selfish….but that doesn't mean I don't feel the way I do. Hopefully we'll get to play with Lily again soon. It gets kind of boring sometimes when Haydn and I are closer to home._

_~Zack_

Xemnas smiled after he finished reading the journal entry. Although Xemnas knew that everything in the journal had been written long ago, it was still nice to read about Zack and Haydn acting a little more like eight year old boys. Many entries after the one above talked about childish pranks and games that the three played together, and certain stories or things that Haydn or Lily told Zack. Xemnas then came upon an entry concerning the secrets of his clan.

_Dear Mom,_

_I think I should tell Lily about what Haydn and I are. She's so nice that I can't ever see her being scared of us. I'm sure she'd understand and still want to be friends with us. I better ask Haydn first. He'd get really mad if I did something like this without telling him about it first. I hope he agrees with me. I really would like for someone to know about our kind._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn doesn't like my idea. He says it's too risky. I'm not surprised. He's always so much more cautious than I am. I hope I can get him to change his mind. I don't like keeping secrets from my friends._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Lily took us to her town today! It was so much fun! Lily's parents are so nice, and so are the rest of the townspeople. They had no idea what Haydn and I are. They assumed that we were human children. I guess our clan hasn't raided their town before. I hope it stays that way. They don't deserve the punishment our clan would inflict on them…just like the rest of the towns that have been attacked by our clan._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn has been really uneasy lately. He thinks that something bad is going to happen soon. He think we never should have gone to Lily's town. I hope he's wrong. It scares me to think that something could happen…especially since Haydn had such good senses. He's usually right about things like this…._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn was right. Something bad __**is **__happening. We went with Lily to her town again…but they weren't nice to us like they were last time. Lily's dad started yelling and throwing things at us. He told us to get out or he'd kill us. Lily tried to stop him…but it didn't help. Haydn and I had no choice but to run…I just don't understand what's going on. I hope we get to see Lily again…even if we can't go back to her town._

_~Zack_

Xemnas was a bit puzzled by the last entry. Why was the town so hostile toward the two young boys all of the sudden? He knew that the townspeople had most likely found out about what Zack and Haydn were, which, frankly, he was still unsure of himself. Yet, the real question was, _how _had they found out.

_Dear Mom, _

_Something weird is going on. Lily hasn't been around all week. She usually gets to our clearing before Haydn and I do, but so far we haven't seen a trace of her. Haydn and I can barely smell her. We think she's been staying in her town this whole time, but we're too afraid to go and see. I really wish we could see her again. Hopefully she'll come back soon…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_We saw Lily again…but…she wasn't the same. When we got to the clearing, Haydn and I could smell her not too far away. We followed our noses and found her picking berries. When she saw us, I saw true fear in her eyes. The stench of it was overwhelming. She wouldn't come near us. Every time me or Haydn took a step towards her, she stepped back. She said she couldn't see us anymore, and before Haydn and I could ask why, she ran away. I don't understand what's going on. Why would she be so scared all of the sudden? What did the others in the town tell her? Lily's open minded personality seemed to be completely gone…I'm so confused…and worried…_

_~Zack_

Xemnas shared the young Zack's confusion and worry. What had happened in such a short period of time? Xemnas found out in the next entry.

_Dear Mom, _

_I can't believe all that has happened. Now I know what happened to Lily and the rest of her town. They figured out what Haydn and I are. My father found out that Haydn and I are friends with Lily and told Haydn's father as well. My father took Haydn's father and his other most loyal followers to Lily's town and tricked them into believing that we were all horrible monsters. That's why they don't want Haydn and I anywhere near them or Lily._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Dad hit me…a lot. He's really angry about me being friends with Lily. It hurts so much. I'm covered in gashes and huge blue and purple bruises. I hope Haydn's dad wasn't as cruel to him as my father was to me. Things really are a mess right now._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I'm horrified. They killed her. They killed Lily and everyone in her town. They raided the town and slaughtered them mercilessly. My father was behind the whole thing. He ordered and led both the raid and the kill. He brought their bodies back and forced Haydn and I to eat their flesh, just like all of the others in our clan do on a regular basis. I know that members of our clan normally feast on human flesh after a certain age…but I thought it was the most repulsive thing I've ever had to do. The fresh, bloody scent of decaying human flesh doesn't appeal to me at all, and I don't understand why it would appeal to anyone else either. Maybe I wouldn't have found it to be as bad if my father hadn't forced me to eat Lily's flesh…it was awful…I never want to do that again._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I talked to Haydn for the first time in what feels like forever, even though it's only been a few weeks since I've seen him…when the incident happened. He still has very visible bruises from when his father beat him for befriending a human, as do I. Even though Haydn's visible scars look bad, I know his mental scars are much worse. He was just as, if not more, repulsed by eating human flesh than I was. I didn't get to talk to him much more than that. We both had to go because there's no telling what our fathers would do if they found out we were still talking to each other._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_Haydn and I have both decided that we aren't going to follow our clans trend of eating human flesh. Neither one of us want to eat __**any **__type of meat ever again. How could we, with what we both had to endure?_

_~Zack_

Xemnas realized that he had reached the end of the second journal. The growing connections between Zack and the giant dog who had eaten the little girl just as Zack had eaten human flesh grew more and more unsettling. Xemnas tried to shake the feeling already buried deep in his gut as he opened the next journal in the pile and read.

_Dear Mom,_

_Today is my ninth birthday, but it doesn't feel like a happy one. Things have just gotten worse here. Dad's position as the leader of our clan has only made him stronger. It scares me. The stronger he grows, the more power hungry he becomes. I'm afraid of him. There have been more killing sprees. I've seen so many humans die. It breaks my heart every time I see one of them brought back to be devoured. Luckily my father has been too busy with other affairs to notice that I haven't been eating the meat. At least I still have Haydn. I would be so lost if he wasn't around._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_Haydn's ninth birthday is only a couple of weeks away. I completely forgot that his birthday is only a month after mine. I want to get something for him, but he refuses to let me. I was going to get him something anyway, but then I realized that I probably wouldn't be able to. I can't sneak off into another town to buy him something because dad has been watching me very closely lately. There's also the issue of money. My father has a lot of it…but he'd never give me any…and if I took some, he'd definitely notice. There's no way I'd ever steal money from humans like he does. I don't even understand why he takes it. He really doesn't need it, considering he takes everything when he raids human towns. _

_It's all just a game to him. Sometimes he pretends to be one of them, just so he can mess with their minds. He says he goes to buy food and clothes, which doesn't make any sense since he steals all of those things. He always comes back with the things he said he was going out to buy…but he comes back hours later. I just don't understand what's going on, and I have a feeling that I don't want to know._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn's birthday is tomorrow! I'm excited! Thankfully I'll be able to actually see him because we managed to find a time where we could both meet. I still feel bad about not being able to get him a present, but I know he won't mind. Hopefully tomorrow will go well.=)_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn's birthday must have been the worst day in all of history. I waited in the spot we agreed to meet, and he wasn't there. In fact, he didn't' show up for several hours. I stayed to see if he would show up, and after a while I started to worry and thought that something bad must have happened. When it started to get dark, I turned around to leave and he showed up in tears._

_His mom was killed…on his birthday. I can't imaging anything as horrible as losing someone that you care about on such a special day as your birthday. I was completely speechless when he told me. All I could do was comfort him while he cried in my lap. I hope he's okay right now. I know that his father would beat him for showing emotions, especially the sad ones. I'm sure he'll make it through; he has you, his mom, and me to watch over him, after all._

_~Zack_

Xemnas stopped reading, not believing that such young boys could have such a childhood and come out as sane adults. Wondering what else could possibly be in store, Xemnas read on.

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn really is a mess right now. I don't know how he manages to hide his emotions at home…all he does is cry when he sees me. I don't mind though; I'm happy to be there for him. I really hope your watching over him Mom, just in case his mommy isn't. I'm sure that's not the case though, because it sounds like she was a really great woman_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn's father makes me so angry. His wife only died a month ago and he's already taken on a new mate. I know that's perfectly normal in our culture, but I think it's disgusting. He never mourned over the loss of Haydn's mom…not once. Haydn thinks that he never really cared for her, and certainly never loved her, considering the word "love" is nonexistent in our society. I haven't met his new mate, but she sounds awful. She's got a reputation for being the most harsh and violent towards others. She's already proved that this reputation of hers is real; Haydn already has bruises all over him that didn't come from his father and couldn't have possibly been caused by clumsiness. I already hate her._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I talked to Haydn today, and he seemed oddly thoughtful. When I got to the clearing we decided to meet in, he just sat there and thought forever. Then, after a while, he said thank you. When I asked him what he was thanking me for…he said his birthday present. I don't understand mom; I didn't give him a birthday present. Did I miss something? I'm confused. (2)_

_~Zack_

Xemnas couldn't help but smile at the last entry. Even back then, Zack seemed to have his stupidly cute moments while Haydn had his deep, thoughtful instances. Xemnas turned a few pages until he found something that told him a little more about Zack and Haydn's lives.

_Dear Mom,_

_I met Haydn's new step mother today, and she's even scarier than how Haydn described her. I hate that he's forced to live with her. My father had to meet with Haydn's father for some business, and I was forced to come along. I caught a glimpse of Haydn's face. There was a huge black bruise around one of his eyes. I can only guess which parent gave him that._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_Haydn's very upset. His step mother is pregnant. His mother hasn't been dead for very long, yet his father has moved on like nothing ever happened. Our clan is the worst place anyone could possibly live, and I can't imagine how it is for a baby to come into a world like ours._

_~Zack_

Xemnas skimmed the rest of the diary, not finding anything that would be of much use to him. He then turned to the next journal, going straight to the first page and reading.

_Dear Mom, _

_Haydn and I have both turned ten already, and Haydn's little brother will be born very soon. He doesn't seem very excited, but the advantage is that his parents aren't paying as much attention to him because their too busy worrying about their next victim. (The baby.) Haydn said that they're hoping for a better son than the one they already have. I think that's stupid. No one could ask for a better son than Haydn. I just wish they could see that._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_Haydn's little brother was born today. He's so small…and so horribly innocent that I'm not sure that he'll even make it in our clan. Haydn doesn't seem to be too worried. He thinks that at one time we were just like him too, and that if we're doing okay, he'll be okay too. If "okay" is barely living…then I guess we __**are **__okay. They named him Kane. It almost seems like too strong of a name for such a little baby, but at the same time, it suits him perfectly._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn has really gotten attached to Kane. I told him how dangerous that could be for the both of them, but he doesn't care. He said that Kane needs to feel loved like any other child does, and he surely won't get that from his parents. I hope Haydn knows what he's doing. If he doesn't…I may never see either one of them again…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn's gotten so big! He's starting to look a lot like Haydn, despite the blonde hair. He must have gotten that from his father, because everyone else in his family has dark hair. I think he'll wind up looking less like Haydn when he gets older, except for his eyes. They're exactly like Haydn's. The same shape and dark green color as his brother's._

_~Zack_

* * *

Authors Note: Well, that's the end. I think I've gotten most of part two of Zack's diaries written, but none of the third part. Anyway, please please please please please leave reviews!!! I know I haven't updated in a while, but I hope you haven't forgotten about me!!!!

(1) The present time of this fic takes place in 2008, despite the fact that it's now 2009. XD

(2) I hope you guys got that. Haydn meant that having Zack as a friend was the best present he had ever gotten. Yeah…sorry…had to throw this in as a side note.=D


	16. Zack's Diaries Part II

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon,soriku,zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club .i'm horrible. :D But I totally own Zack and Haydn and everything that comes with them.=)

Genre: Romance/humor/angst/ action

Rating: T (possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: language,shounen-ai,and yaoi.

Author's Note: Well guys, I haven't posted a chapter in like three months and I'm very sorry for that. School is being a pain in my ass, so if you're looking for someone to blame, blame my teachers and the administration. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this chapter.=)

* * *

_End of Chapter 15: Zack's Diaries Part I:_

_Dear Mom,_

_Kane's gotten so big! He's starting to look a lot like Haydn, despite the blonde hair. He must have gotten that from his father, because everyone else in his family has dark hair. I think he'll wind up looking less like Haydn when he gets older, except for his eyes. They're exactly like Haydn's. The same shape and dark green color as his brother's._

_~Zack_

* * *

Chapter 16: Zack's Diaries Part II:

Xemnas found nothing in the rest of the journal that helped him find details about Zack and Haydn's life. Xemnas shook his head in exasperation as he went to the next journal. He noticed that that this journal skipped a few years in both Zack and Haydn's lives. The first entry claimed that the year was 1993. Zack must have been about thirteen.

_Dear Mom,_

_Wow. I never thought I'd be able to write again. It's been a few years, hasn't it? I stopped writing because I was afraid that Dad would find out about my journals and destroy them. If he took everything away from me except for Haydn and my writing, I think I'd be able to survive. He was really suspicious of me for a while, but his attention has been focused on something else as of recently, but I'm not sure what that something is. I have no idea what he's planning, but I know that something bad is going to surface. It may not be in the near future, but time will tell what misfortunes lay ahead._

_Haydn and I have gone through so much since the last time I wrote. It's amazing what time can do to a person. We've made friends with others that are outsiders in our clan. I can't figure out how we missed them before. Then again, most of them are better at pretending that they fit in with our society than Haydn and I are. I won't mention any of their names. If Dad or anybody else in our clan found my journals and saw my friend's names in them, they would be killed immediately. I wanted to take Haydn's name out of my journal, but he thought it would be a pointless effort. He's in so many of my entries that if I tried to rip them all out there would be nothing left._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Kane's differences within our clan is inevitable. He's too much like Haydn and I, even though he's only three years old. I'm afraid for the kid to be honest. When we finally get out of this place, I want Kane to come with us. I know it'll be hard because he's so much younger, but he'll never make it in our clan by himself._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Apparently Haydn's step-mother has a son that's our age that'll be coming to live in our clan pretty soon. His dad just died, so he has nowhere to live now. It's funny that she never mentioned anything about having a son before…she must not think highly of him. If anything, I hope he isn't like his mother._

_~Zack_

Xemnas went to the next relevant journal entry, wondering if this new person would play a big role in how everything would turn out in the end.

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn told me that his new step-brother arrived today. His name is Naoki and Haydn already doesn't like him. He must be horrible if Haydn is already doubting his character; he's skilled when it comes to identifying a good person from a bad one. Lets hope his first impression doesn't wind up being his __**only **__impression._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Some of the others met Naoki today and really liked him. Haydn's upset. It's very strange that Haydn hates him while everyone else likes him; I'll admit that. Hopefully I'll meet him soon so I can figure this guy out for myself._

_~Zack_

Xemnas found the incident very peculiar too. Haydn _was _a good judge of character and he was fairly certain that the other male always had been. Why was it that everyone else seemed to think that this Naoki person was a nice guy while Haydn believed otherwise? Xemnas scanned the rest of the journal to find that there was nothing in it that would answer his rapidly uprising questions. Xemnas put the journal in the stack with the ones he had already read and picked up the next one in the other pile.

_Dear Mom,_

_Another year has gone by and Haydn and I are a year older. Being fourteen feels no different than being thirteen, yet, being thirteen and fourteen feels much different than being twelve. Anyway, I think Haydn's __**finally **__going to introduce me to Naoki in the near future. I've been begging him to let me meet him for a while now, so he should be giving in sometime soon. ;) I think he's reluctant to introduce us because he's afraid that I'll love him like everyone else does. We'll see what happens._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn's introducing me to Naoki tomorrow! I'm kind of excited. I've heard so many good things about him. (And bad things on Haydn's part.) I want to see for myself what he's really like, and I'll finally get the chance tomorrow afternoon._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I met Naoki today. He's nothing like Haydn says he is. He's so nice and completely unlike his mother and the majority of our clan. I don't see why Haydn hates him so much. When I asked him about it, he only said that Naoki gave him a weird vibe, like he was going to bring bad times in the future. I think he's just being stupidly paranoid._

_~Zack_

Xemnas contemplated Zack's words for a moment. _Was _Haydn just being "stupidly paranoid", or was there something more going on? He would never find out if he didn't keep reading.

_Dear Mom, _

_Haydn's been bringing Naoki with him more and more often, but I can tell that he hates it. He won't get along with him, no matter how many times I try to convince him that he's not a bad guy. Now I'm afraid that he's mad at me. I hope he isn't…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn and I have started making some human friends. They have no idea what we __**really **__are. I hope it stays that way, but I wish they could know. But that's just a stupid fantasy. Humans can never really understand our clan. They'd be scared if they knew what we were. I hate that I have to hide who I am from everyone, but that's the way it has to be if I ever want to exist in the "normal" world. It's all right, Haydn and I can pull off the appearance of humans. We've gained so many of their characteristics over the years that Haydn and I practically __**are **__human…or should I say that we're __**almost **__human. I've realized recently that Haydn and I really don't know who we are. We hid behind masks every day, changing our appearance to fit the expectations of two completely different societies…_

_Maybe one day we won't have to hide._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_All of the girls that I'm friends with (human and clan girls alike) have been acting really strange lately. I told Haydn and Naoki about it, hoping that they'd be nicer about it than some of the other guys, but they were just as bad! They started laughing at me and I felt pretty stupid because I didn't know what the hell they were laughing about! Well, I guess __**Haydn **__was the one that was making fun of me the most, but I could still tell that Naoki was laughing at me too!_

_It took me a while to get them to talk. I knew that they knew why the girls were acting so weird, but they wanted to hide it from me! When I finally got them to tell me what was going on, (after nearly throwing Haydn into the stream and hitting Naoki with a tree limb) they told me that they __**like **__me. Not like as in a friendly sort of way, but in a __**like like **__kind of way. __**EWWWW!!!!**__ I would __**never **__like any of them like that! That would just be gross. They're all like sisters to me, and I would never look at my sisters that way! (If I ever had any sisters anyway…) Come to think of it…I've never looked at __**any **__girl as more than a friend…_

_Is that normal for my age?!_

_~Zack (Who is extremely confused.)_

_Dear Mom,_

_I've been thinking a lot about this whole "girl problem" for a while now. All of my girl friends (as in __**friends **__who are __**girls**__), have been acting all giggly and flirty. I can't believe I didn't notice it before! It's so damn annoying, especially since half of them cling to me like leeches. Don't get me wrong, I love them to death as friends, but having all of them squeal over me is just creepy. (And harsh on the ears. They're very sensitive to loud high pitched noises.) I tried thinking about any one of them as more than a friend, but it just grossed me out. I even tried looking at them (in a more than friendly way) and that was just repulsive. I told Haydn about it and he said that I shouldn't be concerned. If I don't like any of the girls I'm friends with, then there really isn't anything to be worried about, right? I mean, just because all of the other guys look up their skirts and make dirty comments and flirt with them doesn't mean __**I**__ have to…right? Then again, I've never really seen Haydn look at any of the girls or heard him make any dirty comments…so at least I'm not the only one. As for Naoki…I have no idea. I've never really heard him talk about a girl. Yet, he's so quiet half of the time that I really wouldn't know whether he has or not._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Damn it! My voice is starting to change! Everybody's laughing at me because of it, except for Haydn and Naoki, which surprises me, quite honestly. _

_Well, I guess there is a good side to all of this. I'm finally starting to get taller than Haydn. =)_

_~Zack_

Xemnas found it ironic that Zack had once been shorter than Haydn, considering that Haydn was almost as small as Zexion. He continued to read about the events of Zack's teenage years.

_Dear Mom,_

_This girl thing is getting bad. I want to tell them to back off, but I don't want to hurt their feelings. I think I'll get Haydn to do it. He __**is **__mean enough after all. ;)_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Apparently Haydn took care of the girl problem for me. Everything has returned to normal now…or as normal as it can get. I really hate the society in which we live…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_One of the girls must have __**NOT **__understood what Haydn meant when he said that I __**wasn't **__interested in any of them, because I just had a horrible experience today. One of my friends, obviously female, started pouring out her feelings for me today, and I had no idea what to do because I just __**DON'T **__like her like that._

_I tried to say something, but she just wouldn't stop __**talking**__. Then she just kept getting closer and closer to me. I kept stepping back, but pretty soon I had backed up so far that I was trapped between her and a tree. She cornered me into a friggin' tree and I just kept trying to tell her that I didn't like her. Not that I was really able to, because the next think I knew she was __**kissing **__me. She __**took **__my first kiss away from me…and then I did something mean. I pushed her away as if I was disgusted. In a way I kind of was, but I didn't mean to be that insensitive about it…_

_Afterwards, we were both shocked, but I think she was more hurt than anything. I wanted to apologize, but she slapped me and ran off crying. Now half of her friends hate me, even though most of them knew __**me **__first and were only introduce to that little kiss stealer because of __**me**__!!_

_I really don't understand why so many of my guy friends are so in to those girls. Most of them are really pushy and persistent. I just don't get it…_

_I hope she doesn't tell her dad what happened. He'll slaughter me if he finds out…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn and I are turning fifteen soon! I'm pretty excited. The stuff with the girl is way behind me now. She moved on a few weeks ago and now she's going out with some arrogant prick. Whatever. As a result, most of her friends won't speak to me anymore. That's okay, my real friends are still with me, especially Haydn and Naoki. I don't know what I'd do without them._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_One of our human friends gave Haydn this strange musical instrument called a guitar for his birthday. Hopefully he'll learn how to play it soon, though I doubt he'll be any good at it. =)_

_~Zack_

Xemnas found it ironic that Zack made this statement, considering that Haydn went on to be a really good guitar player. He flipped to the next page.

_Dear Mom,_

_I'm starting to worry that there's something wrong with me. I'm fifteen years old and I'm __**still **__not concerned with the opposite sex. Should this bother me as much as it does? I wish you were still here Mom; then I could ask you about all of these things. I barely remember your face because you died so long ago…but I can still hear your voice encouraging me, even if it's only a distant murmur…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I worry about the fact that the thought of being with a girl is kind of gross to me…but when I look at Naoki…no, I will __**NOT **__think about how I feel every time I look at him. He's just a friend, because that's all he can be._

_~Zack_

Xemnas assumed that around this time Zack was starting to figure out that he was gay. He continued to read, wondering how Zack would come to terms with his obvious sexuality.

_Dear Mom,_

_I can __**NOT **__like Naoki as more than a friend! I just __**CAN'T**__!! He's a guy, and guys don't think about each other like that…right? I mean, I know that there are guys out there who like other guys as __**more **__than friends, but __**I'm **__not like that…am I? I don't have a problem with gay men…but that doesn't mean that I'm one of them…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I can't take this anymore. I need to stay as far away from Naoki as possible. If my so called "feelings" for him don't stop acting up soon, I'm going to do something really stupid that I know I'll regret/ I'll just stop talking to him. That'll do it! If I don't talk to him, maybe he'll just lose interest in being my friend._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_It was so incredibly hard to ignore Naoki today. He kept looking at me as if he were wondering if he had done something wrong. I wanted to tell him that he did absolutely nothing wrong, that it was me that was mistaken…but I just couldn't say anything to him. If I had tried to open my mouth, I would have said all the wrong things. Haydn knows that something's up. He __**always **__knows. It's only a matter of time before he asks me about it, and when he does, I don't know what I'm going to say. I've never been good at lying to him._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Not talking to Naoki is getting to be impossible. He's so sweet and innocent and he doesn't deserve to be treated the way I've been treating him. I can tell he's hurt by the way he looks at me. I've been trying to act like I'm interested in the girls as a way to avoid him, but I can tell Haydn's starting to see through me. The way those dark green eyes stare at me makes me feel so uncomfortable sometimes. I can feel a confrontation coming on. He's definitely going to ask me what's wrong with me soon. I hope he's not upset, but why would he be? He hates Naoki anyway…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_It happened. Haydn confronted me on the whole Naoki issue. He asked me why I was being such an ass all of the sudden, and I kind of beat around the bush about it until Haydn got pissed off. Then…I told him. I told him that I might be gay…and that I thought I had a thing for Naoki…and then he laughed at me! He said that he though that that might be the reason. When I asked him if he was uncomfortable with the idea of me liking Naoki, he said that it would probably be okay, even though he doesn't like or trust him. Then I asked him if he was bothered by the fact that I liked guys. He just laughed again and said that he's known about that for a while now. When I got this clueless look on my face, he said that his gaydar had been sending him signals for quite some time. I just laughed and asked him if he was attracted to girls or guys…and he said __**guys**__, oddly enough. I wasn't expecting that. I would never expect that a guy like Haydn would be interested in men. Either way, he's a good guy. The fact that he dislikes Naoki but still gives me the room to like him amazes me._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I can't do it. Just __**CAN'T**__! Now that I've gotten over the fact that I like Naoki, I don't know how to apologize for being such an ass to him. So instead, I've continued to ignore him. I feel like a horrible person, and Haydn keeps eyeing me like I'm a complete idiot. Which, I have to admit, I kind of am. I wish you were still around to give me advice…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Today was horrible. The worst day of my life. Naoki hates me. I'm sure of it. Whatever friendship we had before is probably ruined now. Today the girls told him to stay away from me because I wasn't interested in him and some of the guys started picking on him. They started beating him up and Naoki just took it, even though he's a better fighter than most of them. That's one thing I'll never understood about him. Even when people are hurting him, he doesn't try to fight back even though he could easily kill half of his tormentors. He's just too gentle._

_I didn't know why everyone was being so mean to him until later today when somebody told me that he told everyone that he was in to men…and somehow someone found out that he was interested in me. It can't be true. It has to be some sick rumor that someone made up after they found out he was gay because they have no life. I feel awful. I was right there and I didn't do a damn thing to help him. I just sat there and gawked at him while he got beat up. Haydn was the one who stepped in. __**Haydn**__. __**He **__had to stop those guys because they were picking on his step-brother; the step-brother that he doesn't even __**like**__. He's angry. He yelled at me before running off to find Naoki, who ran off somewhere after Haydn got those assholes off of him. I shouldn't talk. I'm the biggest asshole of them all. I can't even stop a bunch of guys from picking on someone that I care about._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I tried apologizing to Naoki today, but he wouldn't listen. I don't think he wants anything to do with me. When I tried to talk to him he hit me in the face as hard as he could. I'm surprised that my jaw isn't out of its socket. It hurts like hell; I'm sure my cheek is going to be swollen for at least a week. At least Haydn brought me an ice pack. I'm glad he doesn't hate me too. He's still pretty damn mad at me though. He told me that I better make things right with Naoki before it's too late. He's right, as always._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Its been a month and Naoki still wont even look at me. What the hell am I going to do? I can't take it anymore! I want him to be my friend again…if nothing else…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_As I sit here and stare at the early morning sun, I realize that today is my sixteenth birthday. Its been ten years since you were taken away from me. Even though it's my birthday, I feel like today is a particularly dreadful day. Naoki still won't talk to me, and now I wonder if he ever will. I came out of the closet and told everyone I was gay a few weeks ago. Everyone was…surprised to say the least. Once again I found out who really values me as a friend and who doesn't. A lot of people have started to pretend they don't even know me. It's okay though, because I'm not totally alone. Haydn is still my friend, along with a few select others. Father hasn't found out yet, and hopefully he never will. Yet, I know it's only a matter of time before he figures it out and does something I know I won't like._

_~Zack_

Xemnas noticed that the next entry was from the same day, but it was written during the evening.

_Dear Mom,_

_What started off as a bad day turned out to be amazing. Naoki and I finally talked. I was sitting by myself by the stream when Naoki showed up. He seemed really nervous and still kind of upset with me, but he asked me why I had been acting so weird anyway. When I told him that it was a long story that he probably wouldn't be interested in hearing, he sat down and said that he had time to kill. I think I started ranting, because the next thing I knew he was laughing and telling me to stop talking so much. And then…he kissed me. Just like that…out of nowhere._

_I mean, I'm __**glad **__he did it, but I don't even know how it all happened. All I remember was pulling him closer and eventually I started making out with him. And now…I guess we're more than friends. We'll have to see how this works out._

_~Zack_

Xemnas vaguely remembered Zack talking about another lover that he had been with before they had met. Naoki must have been the one.

_Dear Mom,_

_Naoki and I are still trying to figure out how to deal with everything. We know that we care about each other and that we're definitely more than friends, but we're not sure if we want people to know about it just yet. We told Haydn, but that's about it. He wasn't surprised, but I can tell he's not happy about it either. I'm sure he'll be okay though._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Naoki and I told everyone that we're dating. They were shocked, and I can tell that they think it's never going to last. Some of them seem to think that Naoki lured me into dating him. Well, they're wrong. Naoki is one of the sweetest people I've ever met, and I can't believe how he just fell right into my life. Everyone has this idea that I'm too good for him, but I wish I could tell them how mistaken they are. If anything, Naoki is too good for me._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Father found out, and now I'm covered in cuts and bruises. He hates me, or, at least more than he used to. I can't stand this society…another reason to get out as soon as possible. The strange thing about the whole incident was the fact that father didn't get angry at me for being with Naoki. It seemed like he was more upset by the fact that I'm gay. It was strange. Maybe I'll ask Naoki about it and see what he thinks._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I told Naoki about what Father did and he said his parents reacted in almost the exact same way. I don't think they hurt him as badly as Father did me, which I'm thankful for. I wouldn't be able to look at him covered in bruises. He's too beautiful for that kind of torture._

_Something is still bothering me. Why are our parents acting the way they are? Shouldn't Father be angry at me for being with Naoki?_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Every day I spend with Naoki makes my life a little bit more worth living. He's been so good to me and he puts a smile on my face no matter what kind of mood I'm in. I'm so glad I met him, but at the same time, I'm afraid I might be hurting my friendship with Haydn. I haven't really talked to him since I started dating Naoki. I really should talk to him. He's probably mad that I haven't said anything to him._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I spoke to Haydn today. He seemed upset, even though he didn't state it directly. I felt bad for ignoring him so I could hang out with Naoki, so I mad a deal with him. I'm going to hang out with him tomorrow without speaking to Naoki at all. This is going to be hard for me. Since Naoki and I started dating, we haven't spent a single day apart, but I'm determined to do it. I'm sure Naoki will understand._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_I hung out with Haydn today. It was pretty fun. I didn't even think about Naoki, until Haydn brought him up. He asked me how things were going between the two of us. I said that we were doing pretty well and that he should hang out with us sometimes. I could tell that he didn't like the idea of that because of his feeling toward Naoki, but he said that he was up for it anyway. I guess it was so he wouldn't cause anymore problems between our friendship. I know neither one of us want that. If there's one thing I know, it's that I wont let Naoki get between what Haydn and I have._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Something strange is going on in our clan. Father brought back humans to feast on….but they weren't the same. I can't explain it…but it was like they weren't human at all. They didn't have a human or animal scent, nor did they smell like any kind of demon that I've ever sniffed. I know they couldn't have been demons; they looked far too human for that. In fact, they looked __**exactly **__like average humans. I asked Father about it, but he wouldn't answer. I didn't want to press him about it for fear that he'd make me eat whatever those things were. He's very aware of the fact that I don't eat meat. He seems to think that if he can brainwash me enough that I'll eat it. _

_~Zack_

Xemnas thought about the entry very carefully. Could the beings that Zack described be Nobodies? They sounded like they _could _be, but there was no way of knowing for sure quite yet…

_Dear Mom,_

_I talked to Haydn about those things that Father brought back yesterday. Haydn said that his dad did the same thing, and him and Naoki were just as puzzled as I was. When they tried to ask about it their parents wouldn't answer either. So strange…_

_Naoki wasn't with Haydn today. I was worried until Haydn told me that his parents had Naoki in intense training. When I asked why they weren't putting him through the same hell, he said that it was because his parents seem to believe that Naoki has more potential than him. I think that's complete bullshit. Haydn has just as much potential as Naoki. Everyone used to think that I was the weakling in the clan, but now I'm stronger than the majority of them. Not that I'm proud of it. If I had my way, I'd be human so that I didn't have __**any **__of this power. Yet, with the life I'm living, I have a feeling that this power of mine will come in handy one of these days._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haven't seen Haydn or Naoki in a little over a week. The clan has been bringing back more of these dead things that I mentioned earlier. They're presence among the clan's feasts is becoming more and more frequent. I wish I knew what was going on. It's like they've forgotten that they used to feed on humans._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn, Naoki and I are growing more disturbed by the increasing number of these strange, dead beings in our clan. What's even stranger is the increased amount of power among many of the clan members, especially the increase of power within my Father. We can all feel it. Pretty soon, I'm afraid that even you'll be able to sense it mom, even though you're all the way up in heaven. Why is this happening? Why has Father's power nearly doubled in such a short amount of time? Does it have something to do with these things he's feasting on? _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Naoki found out a few answers to some of our questions. He overheard his mother and father talking about it. Those things are called Nobodies. Such a strange name these creatures have. Naoki also found out that these things really are giving our clan power. He couldn't find out anything else; his parents didn't say much about these Nobodies after that. This is scary mom. How much stronger will father get? Does power reach a limit at some point, or does it extend infinitely? How and why do these things give our clan power? I hope we find out soon._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_What are we going to do about this? Everyone is growing stronger and Haydn and Naoki and I can't keep up. We don't know how to deal with this. If the three of us, and any followers that we have left, want to get out of here, then we have to be stronger than them! The only problem is…I don't know how to do that. Naoki turns to me for comfort, but what do I say when I have no clue what our next move should be? I turn to Haydn for help, but he's at a loss for words too. We need to figure this out. Things are getting worse fast._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_The only thing we can do is train. Naoki, Haydn and I have been working our asses off, and we're definitely making progress, but I feel like it will never be enough. I can't stay to write. I need to go train again…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I think that I've found an answer…but I'm not sure whether or not to trust this person that may be able to help us. I'm scared that he'll wind up telling my Father everything because he's one of his followers. He claims he can help us get stronger and answer all of our questions. Should I trust him mom? He must be a few years older than I am, and I didn't even catch his name. Haydn and Naoki and I are still deciding whether we're going to meet him in a few days in our usual spot like he told us to. It could be a trap…but then again, what if it's __**not**__?_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_We've decided to go tomorrow. We just have to be careful. If anything bad happens…then I'm really not sure what we'll do. If we were ambushed, the only thing we'd be able to do is run…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_It wasn't a trap. This man is actually trying to help us! When we got there, everything was silent. As soon as we started getting uneasy, he showed up. We asked him for his name, and he didn't say a word…and then, he let his mind block down. His mind was so hectic. I don't think he has ever let anyone know what's going on in his mind… _

_He's been one of my father's main followers for years, practically since birth. My Father saw a lot of aptitude in him at an early age and recruited him almost immediately. Yet, despite this, he still managed to see the faults within our clan. I was surprised to see that he's managed to keep going for so long. I wouldn't be able to keep going if I didn't have Haydn and Naoki. This guy…he's been on his own his whole life. He's never had any friends…ever. He's just been waiting to gain some allies so that he can break free from this hell, and now, he has us. He's considerably stronger than us, and he knows everything about my Father and his minions. He's going to help us get stronger and tell us about my Father's plans…and these strange Nobodies. He would have done it today, but we ran out of time. We all have orders and obligations to fulfill if we ever want to get out of here without looking suspicious. _

_This man, he seems like he'll be a good ally, but I wont know for sure until later. I would write his name down, but that would be too much of a risk. The only reason Haydn and Naoki's names are in here is because they want their names to be written so that they can go down with me, if it comes to that._

_~Zack_

Xemnas couldn't believe it. Zack had known what a Nobody was. The entire time he was with him, he was aware of the existence of the Nobodies. Yet, this didn't necessarily mean that Zack had known that _he _was a Nobody. (At least he wanted to believe that Zack had had no clue.) Who was this new ally? How important would he be later on? Xemnas eagerly turned a few pages and found Zack, Haydn, and Naoki's next encounter with this man.

_Dear Mom,_

_We met with our source again. He told us what Nobodies are and I'm still trying to comprehend it all. Maybe writing it down will make it easier._

_First of all, these Nobodies are stranger than I ever imagined them to be. From what I was told, I gathered that they are beings without hearts. How is this possible? How does something thrive without a heart? Does this mean that they contain "no emotions" too? Are __**we **__somewhat like these Nobodies? Our clan claims to have no emotions, so do we contain no hearts too? That has to be impossible. I can feel my heart beat as I write my doubts down. I have to have a heart, I wouldn't exist without it._

_I asked him if this were true for the Nobodies too, but he just doesn't know. He can only figure out so much about these beings. Although he didn't know the answer to my question, he did say something very interesting when I brought up the word "existence." He told us that these people were never meant to exist. I asked him what he meant by that, and he said that Nobodies are basically half of a person. As shocked as we were to hear something like that, we were also very eager to hear more._

_It all started with the Heartless, beings that go around and feed on weak hearts. They're born from the darkness in people's hearts. When someone's heart becomes too overcome by darkness, the Heartless devour them and turn them into a Heartless as well. No one is quite sure how this happens, but apparently it is believed that research is being done on the very subject. It has been found that the Nobodies are created by the empty shell left behind from those that are turned into Heartless. Therefore, they have the soul and the body of a human, but lack the heart. It's all very confusing, and I don't know what to make of it. Hopefully I'll have more answers soon._

_~Zack_

Xemnas knew everything about the creation of Heartless and Nobodies that Zack knew plus more. He had a feeling that Zack was going to figure out everything, so he continued to read about his discoveries, wondering what this mysterious man would tell the trio next.

_Dear Mom,_

_Today I asked our source why I've never seen these Heartless, considering that our whole clan is shrouded in darkness. He said that it's because my Father has a shield around our territory. Apparently he wants to learn how to manipulate these things before he lets them roam our land. He's intelligent enough to know that if he let those things into our land right now that they would destroy the majority of our clan because they are so consumed in darkness. Not that he'd ever put it in those words. He would never say anything to make our clan look like it has any weaknesses. He's never admitted to faults._

_We asked about these Nobodies again, and where they come into play in this whole situation. Our source claimed that it started off as a complete accident. Some higher ups in the clan went hunting for humans and wound up killing a few Nobodies instead. They immediately noticed that they weren't human because their smell doesn't match that of a humans at all. They brought the Nobodies back to my Father and he examined them for quite a while until he finally got up the nerve to taste one of them. He found that he liked the flavor much more than humans and decided to make his lackeys hunt down more of them. They soon started finding many of these beings and began devouring them. Shortly after, they started to notice a strange increase in their power. They've been growing stronger and no one is quite sure why. My Father has been doing research to figure it out, but nothing has been found yet. Hopefully I'll have more answers next time._

_~Zack_

Xemnas found the entry odd. How could consuming the flesh of a Nobody make someone more powerful? What kind of research was Zack's father conducting? Was it possible that it was anything like the research he conducted all of those years ago? He didn't want to think about that possibility. Surely no one else had tried to accomplish the same things he had. How had Zack's Father managed to block the Heartless? Even he had thought that to be impossible. Did anyone have the capability of being that powerful? The thought disturbed him. Xemnas anxiously read the next relevant journal entry.

_Dear Mom,_

_Father's trying to accomplish something that sounds completely ridiculous, but if his plans work…I'm afraid that there will be dire consequences for everyone. From the information I've been given by my source, it seems as though Father's experiments have been paying off. He hasn't figured out why eating these Nobodies has given him this power, but he has developed a theory that if he eats enough of these Nobodies that he well reach a state of immortality. It sounds crazy…but what if it works? What if Father becomes that powerful?_

_How did Father come to the conclusion that these Nobodies are not only boosting his power, but also increasing his lifespan? Are Nobodies __**really **__that different from us, regardless of their lack of hearts? It's so perplexing. We know that Father's main goal is to become more powerful than any other on Earth. He's wanted to take over the world since before I was born. The power hungry bastard…_

_~Zack_

The next entry Xemnas read surprisingly had nothing to do with Zack's Father's plans, but had everything to do with stopping him.

_Dear Mom,_

_I've been so busy talking about Father's plans that I feel like I haven't had any time to talk about our training with our source. He's pretty tough. He still beats us, even when all three of us take him on at once. He said that if we each can't handle him individually, then there's no way we stand even the slightest chance of winning against my Father and his supporters. He's much too powerful for us. Our source is about half as powerful as him, and we can't even manage to defeat him with all of our power combined!! That thought really scares me. What if after all of this, we all wind up dead just because we were too careless with our abilities? I can't even imagine what I'd do without Haydn and Naoki. They're my life. If they die, I'll have to go with them. There's no chance for me in a life without them by my side._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_We've been so busy with training and trying to figure out what my Father's up to that I feel as though I haven't had any time for Naoki. I feel awful about it, but Naoki understands. He hasn't had much time either. I'm still completely in love with him. My seventeenth birthday is coming up soon. I hope I can do something special with him then._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Apparently Father's found more breakthroughs in his research. He says he's found out why he's gaining so much power. He thinks that the darkness has a major role in it. The darkness in his own heart combined with the darkness of the souls of the Nobodies has caused a dramatic increase in his power. I would have to disagree. I think that his darkness will eventually get the best of him. Darkness will only destroy him in the end._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_How can the power of darkness make someone immortal? Can such a thing happen? How is one led to believe that darkness makes them stronger? I just don't get it. I'm terrified of the idea of Father becoming immortal, but will that really happen? The only way we'll ever know is if we wait. Only time will be able to tell._

_~Zack_

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry guys, but Zack's diary entries are going to be broken down into four chapters instead of three. There's just way too much to cover for three chapters, so sorry if you guys thought that this ended kind of strangely. Anyway, please review!!! I will love you forever and give u a digital cookie!!!!=) But seriously, review this fic because I'm addicted to reviews like they're crack._


	17. Zack's Diaries Part III

Summary: When Axel is brought back to life to be with Roxas, they start searching for their other friends from the Organization. Through much difficulty they eventually achieve this goal, but what happens when the superior comes back mysteriously one day? How will Xemnas cope with having to live among normal people and being social? And will love find this man who seems to have a giant stick up his ass! lol. Yeah, better than it sounds. Eventual XemnasxSephiroth. Other pairings include akuroku, cleon,soriku,zemyx, and marluxiaxsaix.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own kingdom hearts cuz if I did the organization would totally be a sex club .i'm horrible. :D But I totally own Zack and Haydn and everything that comes with them.=)

Genre: Romance/humor/angst/ action

Rating: T (possibly M in much later chapters)

Warnings: language,shounen-ai,and yaoi.

Authors note: Well, it's been about three months again and I haven't updated. For that, I am very, very sorry. But, school is out so the updates should be more frequent. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

_End of Chapter 16: Zack's Diaries Part II_

_Dear Mom,_

_How can the power of darkness make someone immortal? Can such a thing happen? How is one led to believe that darkness makes them stronger? I just don't get it. I'm terrified of the idea of Father becoming immortal, but will that really happen? The only way we'll ever know is if we wait. Only time will be able to tell._

_~Zack_

* * *

Chapter 17: Zack's Diaries Part III

_Dear Mom,_

_Today was my seventeenth birthday. It was…wow…just…WOW! It started off kind of bad because I had to train with father, but it got better afterwards. I hung out with Haydn for the majority of the day, and I was with Naoki for most of the evening. We talked for hours. It felt so intimate, just sitting there talking to him for so long. After a while things got…well…interesting, you could say. We…damn, I guess I'll just say it! Write it…whatever. We had sex. It's as simple as that. It was amazing. (It's ironic that I write this all down in a journal to my dead mother. Would I be sitting here talking to you about this if you were alive? Sometimes I wonder.) I didn't think sex would be as great as it was. It was kind of weird at first because neither of us really knew what we were doing. Then I freaked out because Naoki started crying. When he calmed down it got better though. I can't wait to tell Haydn about it tomorrow! He'll probably be grossed out because I'm his best friend and Naoki is his step-brother. Oh well, I guess he'll just have to live with it._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_My plans for telling Haydn about my night fell through because a certain somebody (Naoki) already told him. Damn him for ruining my fun! (Ah, well, I love him anyway.) Naoki just laughed and blushed as he apologized for telling his brother about our night before I could. I was expecting Haydn to laugh with us, but when I looked up at him, there wasn't a single trace of amusement in his eyes. I don't understand why he hates Naoki so much. I'm completely in love with him and he makes me happy, yet my own best friend can't stand the one person I adore. He's being so selfish. I want to confront him about it, but I really don't know how to go about doing it. It's times like these when I wish you were still here._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Father has been training me a lot more often. Is it possible that he suspects what's going on and is trying to keep me away from Haydn and Naoki, or does he want to use me in his grand scheme? I don't like the thought of either one, but I have a bad feeling that it might be a little of both. I think that that may be even worse. He hasn't said anything that would lead me to believe he knows what's going on, then again, he loves seeing people squirm. He's probably hoping I'll crack under pressure. Well, I just wont give him that kind of satisfaction. I'm a lot stronger than he thinks._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I've gotten to spend more time with Naoki since we started training more often with our source. It's amazing to be with him. I try to get Haydn to stay to talk with us, but he leaves right after training. I feel terrible. WE never talk anymore unless it's about training. Whenever I try to talk to him about anything else he either refuses to say anything or makes up some excuse for why he has to leave. It's starting to piss me off. I'm slowly losing my best friend and I feel like I have absolutely no control over it or any way to make it better._

_Shit…I'm supposed to be meeting Naoki right now. We have…stuff to do. Hopefully I can sneak out without waking father up. I can't think of any proper excuses as to why I would be going out this late._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Training with our source has been especially rough lately. He's been making us learn and do things that I never imagined possible. Today, after we were through, I asked him if my father knew how to do all of the things we were learning. He said that he knew how to do all of it, plus much more. That scared me a little, considering that I've never seen my father do half of the things we do while we train. Apparently, according to our source, there are a lot of things my father has done that I've never heard about. The thought was unsettling, but I'm sure if you were alive you would know exactly what he's talking about._

_I also asked him why my father has never taken the time to teach me these things if he knows how to do them all so well. Especially since he seems pretty set in his idea of having me help him rule the world. Our source told me that it was because father doesn't want me to become more powerful than him. He wants a son that will help him destroy everyone, but not a son that can overpower and defeat him someday. That's why our source want all of us to get stronger. If he teaches us the techniques the correct way, he's sure that we can defeat my father. I hope he's right, for the sake of all of us._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_My relationship with Naoki has been going great, but my friendship with Haydn continues to suffer. We've been talking less and less every day, and I don't know how to make it better. Life kind of sucks._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_Our clan is in chaos. Father let the Heartless into our territory last week and they've been wreaking havoc since then. Some members of the clan, the more powerful ones in particular, have welcomed the Heartless quite graciously. Several others are dead because they were devoured by those strange creatures. Father claims that they were too weak to handle the power of the Heartless, but the real reason is that they were too overcome by darkness to remain in a world where Heartless are practically everywhere. _

_You would think father would be angry about these creatures killing off members of our clan whom he once deemed "valuable assets", but now he claims that he's glad that the Heartless have gotten rid of the ones who were too weak to help him in his cause. It's disgusting. These monsters are taking lives and my father doesn't give a damn. _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_Training, both from father and from the source, has been indescribably brutal. Father is getting more powerful and so are his minions. It's really starting to terrify me. I don't know if I can take training on both sides much longer; it's exhausting. There are days when I just want to give up on everything, especially since I have no one to talk to about these sort of things. My best friend almost refuses to speak to me and I don't have time for Naoki right now. I wish you were here…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Father is planning on doing things even more horrendous than I thought. Our source found out about his experiments and said that he can become even more powerful by eating someone that is turned into a Nobody. (Other than the normal way that a human is transformed into a Nobody, if you could even begin to classify that as ordinary.) If father's theory is correct, then the whole world could be in trouble. How would you go about turning someone into a Nobody? Is it possible? If it is I'm sure father has already found a way to do it, but our source isn't entirely sure. I'm hoping he'll find out soon._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_I feel for Haydn, and Naoki's, little brother Kane. The clan is already trying to train him into being a horrible monster, and he's only seven years old. I guess I can't say I haven't been there, considering that Haydn and I started training (against our will of course) when we were even younger than that. Even though all of that is true, I still think that Kane's training is significantly more difficult than ours was. The clan is much more cruel to him when he's messes up during these sessions. It breaks my heart to see someone that young go through that much pain, especially when it reminds me of all the pain I went through when I was that age. It must hurt even more for Haydn; he's closer to Kane than anyone. He's also held responsible for dishing out a lot of these training sessions under the watchful eye of their merciless step-mother and father. Knowing Haydn, he probably makes it up to the poor kid later. That's just the amazing older brother he is. I'm actually comforted by the fact that Haydn is Kane's big brother. It gives me hope that there will be other generations in our clan that act decently to the rest of the world._

_Oh! Also, Haydn's slowly starting to talk to me again. I don't know what possessed him to do so, but I'm glad he did. Who knows, maybe things were just really bad at home and he needed some space to cool off. Yet that still bothers me, considering he usually tells me everything…_

_I should try not to ponder on these things for too long. It makes one start to doubt everything they've ever known as true and sacred…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_Things have been really tense around here lately. The humans have become suspicious of us and are planning on attacking. Not just any humans, but the ones in the army__. The ones who are trained for combat and have weapons. I'm afraid that those who are close to me are going to be seriously hurt, or worse, killed, because we're all being forced into this battle. I have a feeling that this is going to get out of hand, and it's all father's fault. If he would just stop with this search for power and leave the Heartless and Nobodies none of this would be a problem. I don't like the idea of going into battle. The stench of blood is already strong in my nose and the fighting hasn't even started yet._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Everything is all wrong. The battle has started, and I don't know what to think of it. They made us attack a human town right outside of our territory. I would be amazed if there are any survivors. I had to kill innocent people who had no idea __why __we were attacking. __I __don't even why we're fight or __what __we're fighting for. It's all kept secret, but no one seems to question it. Our clan fights mindlessly, but that's ultimately what father wants. He may be a vile bastard, but he knows how to talk his way out of anything and how to make people fight against others who have done them no harm. When something bad happens he blames it on the humans._

_I think that one of the most ridiculous things he's ever blamed the humans for is the Heartless attacks. He's just thrilled that the Heartless are attacking those who he deems as "unworthy" in his clan, but he'd never admit that to anyone because those who don't know how to control the Heartless are afraid that they will be next on their list. Father was the one who let the Heartless into our territory in the first place, but he blames the humans for letting it happen. He claims that the humans couldn't keep them under control, so now they've moved to us and we've got the heavy burden of trying to control them now. _

_So you see, our clan has quite a bit of rage towards humans for no real reason because father is spewing a bunch of bullshit lies. It's sickening. I don't blame the humans for trying to kill us off; I would want us dead too if I were in their position. We've killed off their kind for far too long. I'm surprised that they didn't fight back sooner._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Every time we go to fight it gets more intense. The humans have gotten a lot stronger and smarter. I can tell that father is starting to sweat a little. I don't think he ever expected the humans would fight back to this degree. It makes me happy to see him receiving a taste of his own medicine. The humans have actually managed to kill quite a few of our clan members. It's pretty bizarre. Even I, who have always believed that humans were much more capable than us in so many ways, would've never guessed that they would become this powerful. I want all of this to end soon. I'm so sick of fighting._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_This mindless fighting has led to less training with our source. I feel like I wont have the strength to fight off father and his supporters if I don't train more. I think we'll have a training session soon. We really need it._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Well, we had a training session today…but it wasn't what it usually is. We didn't train in the way we're used to. Instead of using our physical and mental abilities, we made these weird potions…or __tried __to at least. They were complicated to make because there were so many ingredients to remember and if you got one step even slightly wrong it messed up the entire thing. So now we have to take the time to create these potions as part of our training. _

_One of the potions is called Rikkido, while the other is called Rokkudo. Rikkido is used to hide scents. Our source was able to make it perfectly, but all we managed to do was make ourselves smell really bad. Hopefully we'll be able to get it with a little more practice._

_I've never seen either of the potions we made, but our source said that that many of our superiors know how to make them. They learn so they can hide their scents from enemy clans of demons during battle. We don't use it in the fight we're in now because humans obviously don't have strong enough noses to track us down through their sense of smell._

_I asked why no one bothered to teach us about these potions before. Our source said that it's usually only taught to higher ups because it's believed that lower leveled clan members can't handle it. It's just stupid. I think we're just as capable. Our source wants us to know how to use them just in case we have to hide from our clan. If they can't smell us, there's less of a chance that they'll find us. _

_The second potion we made, Rokkudo, is a strange one. It's used to change the properties of blood. Whether it be to thicken, thin, or completely drain someone of blood, this potion can do it. Today we tried an easier, less deadly version that simply changes the color of blood. It seemed simple enough at first, but all we managed to do was change our blood the color pink when we were supposed to turn it blue. I'm still not sure how it happened. Although our source said it was a pretty good start. Apparently it's a miracle that we managed to make our blood change any color on the first try. Easy for him to say. He got his blood to alter into this really cool shade of blue!_

_Our source also said that it's important to know how to make Rokkudo in case one of us loses a lot of blood during battle. I think these potions could actually come in handy some day. The strangest thing about them is that they don't have any odor, taste, or color to them. You could give them to someone and they would have no idea. It's kind of remarkable, but potentially deceiving and lethal at the same time. _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_We're starting to get a lot better at making potions, __and __we've gotten so much stronger than I thought we ever could be. I'm glad. I have a growing suspicion that our battles are about to get worse. The humans are threatening to declare an all out war on us. My father is all for it. He thinks that it will get him even closer to destroying their race. Has he even stopped to think that maybe the humans could easily overpower us in large numbers?_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_The whole clan is terrified of father now. I think he has nearly become immortal. After what I saw today, the possibility of him living forever is immense. _

_He held a meeting this morning in which all of our clan was required to attend. It was basically a meeting to talk about upcoming battle strategies and how everyone is playing a role in this (probable) war. In the middle of his speech, some poor fool tried to rebel against his plans and successfully stabbed him…but father wasn't hurt at all. He was stabbed right through the torso and he didn't even flinch. He just pulled the sword out of himself and stabbed the man who had tried to kill him. The poor guy was dead within one flick of father's wrist. When I looked down at my fathers wound I noticed that it had nearly healed itself completely. Pretty soon the rest of the clan noticed too and a wave of horrified gasps and whispers were heard around the whole room. I looked across the room at our source and found that he wore the exact same expression. How the hell are we supposed to take out someone who can do that?! Being able to heal that quickly isn't normal for any breed of demon. How are the Nobodies making him that powerful? It just isn't adding up._

_After everyone had calmed down my father gave everyone a grave warning. He said that if anyone dared to betray him, then we would suffer even more than the hopeless man before us had. He's lost his patience with traitors. The scariest thing was that as he was saying all of this, his eyes kept shifting between me, Haydn, Naoki, and our source. Just how much does he know? Thankfully we all managed to keep straight faces. I'm scared Mom. I've never felt so helpless in my entire life._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_War has been declared. Judging by the strong scent of rapidly approaching humans, they'll be in our territory by tomorrow morning. I better get some sleep. Who knows what time I'm going to have to get up to start one of many battles. _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_We barely won our first battle today. I was right when I said that the humans could overpower us if there were enough of them, and they almost did due to father's cocky, careless planning. I can tell that he's uneasy. It'll be interesting to see what he does about it._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Father has called on the help of ally clans both near and far. They consist of clans that have both helped us in the past and those who we have come to the aid of before. Our territory is extremely overcrowded now and reeks of new, unfamiliar demons. We outnumber the humans now. This is absurd. I can't take it anymore. I want this to be over, but it's not going to end any time soon._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_It feels like we're killing off hundreds of humans by the minute. I've got so much blood on my hands that I can't seem to wash it off no matter how hard I try. The scent seems to have permanently seeped into my skin. Everywhere I go I can see, taste, smell, and feel their blood as their shrill screams ring in my ears. I wake up crying and screaming at night because of the nightmares that ensue after each battle. The few hours of sleep I get are shortened because of this. I don't know if I can hold up much longer, but I've got to be strong for Haydn and Naoki, even if I'm only pretending._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I've now realized how father is becoming so much stronger. He has taken his revolting, power hungry craze to a whole new extreme. He's creating his own Nobodies that are derived from demon clans, killing them and devouring them like he has all the others. He claims that it's his way of wiping out anyone that he deems unfit for war, but have enough power to supply him with additional energy in the form of a Nobody. Our source doesn't know how he's doing any of this. Honestly, I'm not sure I care to know._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I've really done it now. I think I just ruined nearly ten years of friendship with Haydn. I'm not even sure how it happened. He told me that Naoki was on my father's side and that he was going to betray our cause the first chance he got. We started arguing and it steadily got worse and worse. Eventually we were both saying things that we didn't really mean. I took it too far. I told him that the only reason he didn't like Naoki was because he was jealous that Naoki and I had something together that he could never have. Then…he let his mind block down…something he hasn't done since we met. It was just for a moment, but it was long enough to let me see the emotional heartbreak he was going through. There's all these feelings that he's kept hidden all his life, even from __me__, his best friend. His emotions gave me the impression that he has been in love with someone for a very long time, but has never been able to express this love. It was like all of these emotions were directed toward __me__…but that's impossible. There's no way Haydn could ever be in love with me. He's never given off any signals. We can't be more than friends because we're practically brothers. We're nothing more and we never will be. I mean, I used to think about what it would be like if Haydn and I were in a relationship…but then Naoki came along. _

_Speaking of which, there's no way Naoki could possibly be a traitor. He would never do something like that. He's been our friend for so long…there's no way he could hide something like that. But why would Haydn say anything like that if it wasn't true? I don't know what to believe anymore. I love both of them and I'm torn between which one to believe, since I certainly can't believe both of them._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn and Naoki wont speak to each other. It has gotten to the point where they avoid even taking the smallest glances at each other. Haydn wont look at me either. I can't stand it. Naoki will still talk to me, but I can tell that he's really hurt by Haydn's accusations. He keeps looking at me as if he's expecting me to choose between the two of them. I can tell Haydn wont consider talking to me until I choose "which side I'm on." I'm not only at war with humans that I don't even want to fight, but with the two people I care about more than anything. I don't know if I can do this for much longer._

~_Zack_

Xemnas didn't know what to think of the last two entries he had read. Had Haydn really been in love with Zack? If he had been, was he still when they were together and about to be married? What about now? The idea was strange and foreign in his mind. Xemnas looked at the next entry and squinted. The handwriting was so shaky looking that he could only guess that it had been written in a very quick and hasty manner. He read slowly, trying to decipher the messy scrawl on the old worn paper that was supposed to be writing.

_Dear Mom, _

_I have to write this quickly. I'm supposed to be out fighting right now. The sound of gunfire is getting closer and the smell of blood, sweat, and dirt are getting stronger. This will probably be the last time I write for a while. This war is getting worse and it's getting to a point where it's dangerous for me to write, even as I'm doing it now. I need to go. I'm not sure when I'll be able to write next. It may be goodbye forever. This journal could easily be destroyed, along with everything else in this war._

_~Zack_

Xemnas noticed that this journal entry was certainly not the last, and that the next one was dated several months later. It was the day before Zack's eighteenth birthday.

_Dear Mom,_

_We're so close to battling against the clan that I can almost taste it. We're attacking tomorrow as we fight the humans. We're hoping that it will be easier if the humans are distracting them. None of the other clans will be joining us in the battle. Father divided them amongst other worlds. He's sure that our clan's forces can handle everything here. Hopefully the lack of other clans will be an advantage to us, or at least put us on the same level._

_You know, now that this battle is so close, it's made me think about the future. I haven't even began to think about life outside of the clan. It's kind of ironic, considering that I've centered my entire life around getting out of here. What will life on the other side be like? How odd will it be to live amongst the humans with the fear of the clan far behind us? Is any of this even attainable, or is it all an unreachable dream? It's my dream to live in complete peace with Naoki and Haydn. Where would we live? Somewhere out in the country maybe? I think they would like that, to live somewhere beautiful and quiet. _

_But who am I kidding? Haydn and Naoki still won't speak to each other, and they barely speak to me. I've gone over tomorrow's plans with them in detail, but who knows if they'll actually show up. I hope our friendship is strong enough to make that happen._

_~Zack_

The next entry was dated to the next day. The writing looked as if it had been written in a struggle. Xemnas soon found out why.

_Dear Mom,_

_I feel as though I'm dead. I survived, but I still feel as though my blood is no longer running through my veins. I've gone completely cold. Today's events have made me feel as though there will never be any hope in life again. I've lost nearly everything I have. _

_This morning we got up and started walking towards our war grounds…or at least that's where we thought we were going. Father found out and lead us into a trap. Or at least I __thought __there was an __us __at first. It was just me and Naoki…but Naoki was the one who told my father about our plans in the first place. Naoki has been a spy for my father all these years. Haydn was right…he only pretended to love me so that he could get more information out of me….so I would trust him. He's been helping father with plans to exterminate me the whole time…or __was__, anyway. He's dead now. Gone forever. Haydn killed him after I gave him permission to do so._

_I'm so lost. He was lying to me the whole time. He never really loved me, and the worst part is that Haydn tried to tell me not to trust him all along, but I wouldn't listen to him. I wouldn't listen to my own best friend when I needed to the most. What the hell is wrong with me? How could I not have seen this coming? It seems so obvious now that its happened…_

_So many people are gone. It wasn't just our own that we had to kill…but so many human children. We were led to a clearing that was very close to an orphanage. The son of one of my father's closest advisors burned it to the ground. He has an uncanny ability with fire. I feel like I killed those children, and I can never forgive myself for that…_

_Then there's our source. Father turned him into a Nobody. He fought against us like he had never seen us before. Father turned him into a vicious beast, but I'm not sure how. We tried to snap him out of it, but it was no use. He didn't recognize us no matter what we did. He almost killed Haydn, but he sliced him across the face twice before he got the chance. He ran off howling in pain. We don't know what happened to him after that. I just hope that father didn't devour him. I hope he got away…_

_We barely got away ourselves. I thought we were going to die. We were severely outnumbered and we were getting tired really fast. We were lucky enough to slip away unnoticed when members of the human army ambushed our clan. Haydn and I have been taking Rikkido to hide our scent. We shouldn't be able to be sensed by smell. The only problem is that I cant even smell Haydn and he's only a foot away. His scent has always comforted me, and now I can't have it. I should try to get some sleep now. Haydn will get worried if he wakes up and finds out I'm still awake._

_~Zack_

Xemnas reread the entry before setting the journal down and sighing heavily. He looked at the next unread journal and found that he was almost afraid of picking it up and reading it. Almost. So the orphanage really had existed and really had burned down, even though the association he had thought the two had with the place was a complete lie. Who had burned down the orphanage? What had become of the boy's source? What would become of Zack's father and the rest of the clan? How would Zack and Haydn live among humans now that they were technically free? Xemnas opened to next journal and read:

_Dear Mom,_

_It's impossible to focus on anything. I don't even know what's real or what's important anymore. Haydn and I have our freedom, but at what cost? Everyone is dead…_

_No one is free. Not really. We've escaped the clan, but we still live in fear of them returning to kill us. We're constantly hiding from everyone for fear of being caught. We've been hiding our scents with Rikkido and flowers, so we should be fine…unless we're seen…_

At the mention of flowers, Xemnas had to wonder if the boys had been occupying the same area that they had been in only a day before. Haydn had claimed that the flowers would hide their scents, and it would explain why Haydn knew the area so well. It was strange to think that they may have been in the same are that the boys had been in years before, struggling to survive and find their place in society.

_Haydn and I still haven't figured out what we're going to do. We don't know where to go. We can't simply get up and move to a human town. Where would we get the money to live among humans? What would we tell them if they asked where we were from? We still have a lot to discuss. I'm sure we'll figure something out soon._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_The clan is still fighting strong. Apparently our leaving hasn't effected the way they battle. It's not much of a surprise. None of them have ever really cared about us, yet I know that we aren't going to get off that easily. I'm sure that they're planning some sort of revenge for our betrayal. That's all right. We'll find some way around it. Haydn an I are still trying to figure out what to do with ourselves. Our wounds from our battle have healed up well, so we're probably going to start investigating human towns soon. We need to find the safest place to live. I think we'd both prefer to be far away from the clan's territory._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_We started looking around human towns today. It's so fascinating to see them in their natural environment. I tried to have fun with it, but Haydn was so on guard and cautious about everything that it was difficult to enjoy anything. I know what he's trying to do. He's worried that the clan will be around. I don't blame him for being alert, but he should tone it down a bit. His skittish behavior is making us look suspicious. We still don't know where we're going to live yet, but we're talking about getting an apartment, even though I have no idea how we're going to get the money for that. _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_We finally got our apartment, but neither of us is too proud of how we did it… _

_We had to steal all of the money we used to pay for the apartment, clothes, food, and furniture we've bought so far, and we'll have to keep stealing until we can find proper jobs. The townspeople are friendly, so I'm sure they'll have no problem showing us around and pointing us in the right direction for work._

_I know you'd be disappointed if you were alive to see me stealing all of this money, and I'm disappointed in myself, but we don't have any other choice right now. I feel especially horrible because it's so easy to steal from them. We're so much faster than they are. I guess I should go to bed. We have to wake up early tomorrow._

_~Zack_

The next journal entry was written a few months later.

_Dear Mom,_

_I'm sorry I haven't written in so long, but if I continued to write on a regular basis with the way things are going now I would have filled pages upon pages of the exact same thing. Haydn and I found jobs, so we're not stealing anymore, but life has become so repetitive. We've gotten into the habit of doing the same thing every day, and it's making us both restless. We need a change of scene, even though we got here not too long ago._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_The perfect opportunity has opened its doors to us. The human army is looking for new recruits and we're thinking of joining. It would be the perfect way for us to get out this monotony that we've gotten ourselves trapped in __and __it would be a big step towards destroying our clan. We just need to be very careful about the way we go about joining. They're likely to ask for several forms of I.D. and will want to know where we're from. We have to meet with some army generals tomorrow. Pray that all goes well._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_The generals didn't suspect a thing. We used our fake id's that we've been using since we started living in human territory. When they asked us about our origins we told them that we grew up in that orphanage that our own clan burned to the ground We decided to tell them that we were from there because the records were all destroyed in the fire. We explained that we left after we both turned eighteen, shortly before the unexplainable fire. After a careful choice of words and some confirmations on certain dates, they told us that we start training in a week._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_The humans were certainly surprised with our abilities today. Their training courses are so much easier than what we had to go through as small children. It was especially amusing to watch their jaws drop as Haydn finished the first obstacle course. They were all expecting him to do bad based on his small body frame, but he naturally did better than everyone else because of what he is. Hopefully we wont have to wait much longer to get into battle since we've progressed so much faster than the others._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_We're moving to a different region tomorrow. The higher ups in the army have embraced us with open arms due to our ability and strength. They've told us that we're likely to move forward quickly. I honestly don't know whether to be happy about that or not. Even though we've broken away from the clan, I still feel that we are no better than them. We're still killing people for idiotic reasons. Some would argue that we're fighting for freedom, but I can't see it that way. I find that all killing is meaningless, even if it involves killing the bastards in our clan. I find no point in killing them most days, even though they are the most evil beings that have ever lived. Yet, on the same account, I'm willing to kill them and my father to see them recieve the karma that has been coming to them for years._

_I don't know what Haydn and I will do if we run into them during this war. Will they give us away for what we really are? Would anyone even notice their statement in the midst of a battle? _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_So far the battles with the other clans haven't been all that bad, at least physically. Mentally and emotionally it has been one of the most difficult displays of violence I've ever had to watch. Haydn and I have made so many friends, but we seem to be losing them just as quickly. I see so many people die on a daily basis that it feels unreal. They're vicious killers, but I've found that humans are just as capable of being monsters. It's sad, this struggle to find a better race, when none of them are really better than anyone. If anything, while on this quest, they make themselves worse than they really are._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_More Heartless and Nobodies have been showing up in our battles lately. Although we haven't seen any Nobodies in human form, I have a feeling that they're there. I wish I knew where they were all coming from. As much as I want to blame my clan for the sudden increase in enemies, I know that I cant. Something else is going on; I just don't know what yet._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn and I have been separated. I don't know what I'm going to do without him. He's the only person I can count on in this world and now he could be anywhere, amongst any of the worlds out there. I should have known that we'd be separated eventually. It's nearly impossible to stay close to anyone in this war. People are getting shipped off to other units every day. I can no longer remember anyone's faces because they're always changing, always different. Haydn said he would get in touch with me as soon as he can. I'm just afraid that something will happen to him before he's able to._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I just heard from Haydn a couple of hours ago. He's okay, but apparently things are pretty bad over there. I'm glad that he's as powerful as he is, but I cant help but worry. I wish he was closer so I could keep a better eye on him._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_The number of Heartless and Nobodies in the area is disturbing. No one knows why this is happening, but I've recently discovered from confidential sources that there may be some connection to this recent increase with a place called Radiant Garden. It's not too far from where I am now. Some higher ups have been looking into it. I just don't understand how a place like that could be linked to this kind of destruction._

_~Zack_

Xemnas let a bitter smile cross his face for a brief moment before flipping to the next entry. How could such a place cause such a terrible mess? Oh, it was simple really. One deranged teenager usually did the trick. He knew that Zack was writing about him. _He _was the one responsible for much of the pain during that war. Ironic that he was also a great healer of that war after the Eiji's took him in and provided him with a job at their hospital.

_Dear Mom,_

_Well, I'm nineteen, if that's anything to be proud of. I don't feel as if I've really accomplished anything in my nineteen years of living. We've broken away from our clan, but they're not out of our lives; not by a long shot. I have a horrible feeling that they never will be. I feel that they will be around after Haydn and I were gone. It's a scary thought--the inhabitants of the worlds fending for themselves in the face of my father and his minions. The only way I'll ever find peace is knowing that my father is dead. Ridding the world of Nobodies, Heartless, and my clan is the only true way to keep the worlds safe._

_~Zack_

Xemnas reread the last sentence over and over again.

'_Ridding the world of Nobodies…' _Xemnas thought as his heart constricted in his sturdy chest. Zack had wanted to rid the world of nonexistent beings. The same breed of nonexistent being that he had once been. Surely Zack must not have known that _he _was one of these Nobodies? He prayed that he hadn't, although it was far too early to know for sure.

_Dear Mom,_

_Sorry it's been so long since I've written anything. This war has been so hectic and tragic that I hardly find the time to think properly anymore. Haydn turned nineteen today. This is the first birthday we've spent apart since we were nine. That's ten years. Being with him on my birthday is something I never considered I'd miss, but it's lonely. I'm sure it's lonely for him too. He doesn't really know anyone where he is. At least I got to speak with him today, if only briefly. He's in another world right now. I can't remember the name though. It was a world I'm completely unfamiliar with. I feel kind of guilty for not remembering a detail like that. I should know these things! (I can just imagine Haydn shaking his head at me right now for my nonsense.) He said he's try to call back soon, but who knows if that'll actually happen. Things are worse where he is._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_The higher ups have found out that the increase in Heartless and Nobodies is indeed coming from Radiant Garden. They've found out that all of the negative energy is coming from the castle in that town, usually known as Hollow Bastion. They've narrowed it down to six individuals, the leader being a teen named Xehanort. They're the apprentices of a man named Ansem. Apparently this Xehanort is a bit of a rogue. He started doing experiments that Ansem didn't approve of. He was conducting experiments involving the darkness, testing its effects an human hearts, especially the hearts of young children. His findings are intriguing, but fatal. Ansem told him to stop, but Xehanort decided not to follow his orders. He started conducting his experiments with his colleagues in secret. Ansem soon became suspicious when the number of Heartless started to increase and the castle began to feel much darker. A week later, Ansem confronted Xehanort, promising him that he'd pay if he didn't stop his foolishness. A heated argument ensued. A few weeks later, Ansem went missing. No one has seen him since that dispute. Not a trace of him has been left behind. Investigators believe that Xehanort had something to do with his mysterious disappearance. _

_I have no idea how this information was found, but I don't understand how investigators can stay so calm with the information they have. The idea of being so close to the very person who has cause so much grief and not being able to do anything about it is infuriating. If I ever come face to face with this Xehanort, I'll kill him. He would deserve every single blow._

_~Zack_

A wave of sickness rose in Xemnas's very core, so intense that he thought he would vomit. An acrimonious laughter bubbled inside of him and left his lips vehemently. The irony of it all. How many times has Zack loved and kissed and gone to bed with an alternative form of Xehanort?

'_Too many to count.' _Xemnas thought as he flipped the thin worn pages of the old journal. Zack had wished for his death in a way. His hate for Xehanort must have mingled with his love for Xemnas at some point. Had this, on some subconscious level, hurt his nonexistent heart all those years ago _as well _as the heart that beat fiercely in his chest right now? The number of possibilities seemed to thicken around him like impenetrable walls as he found out more about Zack's dark past. Xemnas soaked up the next journal entry, hoping to find out more answers, and (almost) praying that he wouldn't run into any more questions.

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn has been moved to the same post I'm at. My captain said something about needing more people for an upcoming battle. It isn't likely to last. One of us will probably be switched to another base within the next few weeks. Maybe the next few days. Who knows._

_~Zack_

The next entry was written several months after the previous one.

_Dear Mom,_

_Sorry it's been so long. The battles have been getting more drawn out lately. I was moved to a different post a couple of months back where the enemies are more severe. (Lucky me, right?)_

_Something strange has happened in Radiant Garden. The officials tried to arrest Xehanort and his followers a few days ago. The strange this is, when they broke into the place, they found it completely empty. At first they thought they had found out and had run away, but there were no clear signs of anything like that. No clothes or other personal items seemed to be missing. It looked as though the castle's occupants had been moving about naturally, concerned with nothing, and just vanished into thin air. The whole incident is puzzling. How do people who have run away from the law make it look as though they never left? They couldn't have vanished. It's impossible. The officials stayed in Hollow Bastion for hours, blocking every possible entry and exit so their suspects wouldn't be able to sneak in or out, but nothing happened. They never returned. They've started using dogs to track their scents, but so far they've found nothing. The dogs can't find a trace of them in Radiant Garden or any surrounding towns. It's all so strange. Will they ever be captured?_

_~Zack_

Xemnas smirked. Vanished? Yes, they had vanished so suddenly, without any warning. So quickly, in fact, that he himself had had no recognition of who he was when he awoke in the Eiji's home. The only thing he could recall was his Nobody name. He still had no idea how the name Xemnas floated into his head.

Of course the stupid officials would be confused by the disappearance. Their minds couldn't wrap around the idea of what happened to them that day, when their hearts were taken, only left with their bodies and souls. No one could have tracked them down. Not even the powerful nose of a mere canine. A Nobodies scent was, after all, completely altered when they transformed. They, in mind, were quite similar to their human forms, but changed drastically biologically. Therefore, the aid of an animal's strong sense of smell couldn't help because their human scent no longer existed. It only lingered in the final places the human form had occupied. At this, Xemnas wondered how long his human scent had stayed behind in Hollow Bastion. A few days? A month? A year, perhaps? Did he smell similar to the human form that he had back then as he did now? Xemnas banished these thoughts as he looked through the journal. Many of the entries were about Zack's hopes and doubts, his thoughts about the future. The next entry he read was written on Zack's twentieth birthday.

_Dear Mom,_

_Another year has gone by. I'm twenty years old and I feel like I'm completely worthless. Haydn and I broke away from the clan two years ago, yet they still follow us around like the plague. I haven't seen Haydn in months, and it scares me to think that I may never see him again. What if one of us was killed in battle tomorrow? How would the other ever know? It's such a scary thought and I know shouldn't think that way, but Haydn and I haven't been able to contact each other in the past six months. That's how bad things have gotten. A lot of the men and women here cant even contact their families for fear of their letters and phone calls being tracked. This war is turning the strong into the paranoid._

~Zack

_Dear Mom,_

_I finally got a letter from Haydn today. It was passed down from one of his former captains. The information it contained was pretty disturbing. Apparently Haydn's been passed out in a hospital for the past two weeks in a town called Rokugo. When he woke up he met a man that goes by Doctor Eiji. He recognized what Haydn was immediately due to his scent. Turns out this man has our clan's blood running through him. So little that he's considered human, but enough to give him the powerful nose of a demon. He didn't realize Haydn's scent initially because the months worth of Rikkido he had used hadn't worn off yet. However, the potion wore off a couple of days later and it became all too clear. Dr. Eiji thought that there was a mistake at first. Needless to say, the doctor had a lot of questions for Haydn when he woke up. Haydn had no choice but to tell him everything. Apparently one of Eiji's relatives on his father's side did the same thing years ago. This relative broke away from the clan and married a human, who also married a human. From there it continued and the human side of the family's genes took over. _

_The strangest thing was that this man had the scent of a Nobody on him. It wasn't strong, but it was there, faintly. It was like a Nobody had briefly brushed past him, causing its scent to linger there. When Haydn questioned him about it, he suddenly got very tense. It's like he's hiding something. Who would want to hide a Nobody? Why would anyone hide something that's causing this war? Is he secretly supporting the other side? I'm not sure…but it's strange. Haydn wasn't able to figure it out while he was there. _

_Haydn also found out that this man conducted experiments. Since he's a doctor, he was able to obtain hearts that have been stored. When he wasn't using those he was often using the Heartless or Nobodies (usually Dusks) to conduct his experiments. His findings were going smoothly, in complete secret, until one day something went terribly wrong. He lost control of the darkness that he was using. Yet, instead of taking him, it took control of his baby daughter's heart. No one knew what was wrong with her, except him. He had to cover up what happened, hiding the truth from everyone, even his own wife. The little girl developed severe heart problems because of the darkness that had resided there. As the months went by, her condition worsened. Desperate to heal his daughter, the doctor began doing research, but found no answers. So, with that in mind, he cautiously began to conduct more experiments, looking for a way to fix what he had done. However, his findings only made his daughter worse. It got to the point where she almost never slept or ate; she was constantly crying. She finally died one early morning. Silently. She fell into a deep sleep and eventually just stopped breathing. There was nothing anyone could do. Her body couldn't take the darkness. She was just a baby. A __baby __had to die because of this god damn war. Not from a battle, but from the fucking darkness. I hope Haydn hit that man. He deserves to be smacked around for what he's done to his family. _

_~Zack_

Xemnas's blood ran cold. _That's _why Dr. Eiji's child had died? Because of careless experimentation? In his mind he remembered the conversation that he had overheard between Haydn and Zack. How odd that conversation had seemed then. Yet, now, he thought he understood it a little bit better. Anger and pity swelled in his heart as his memories floated back to the days of when he had been a mere teenager, rocking that same sick, crying baby in his arms. How dare he. All these years he had seen Dr. Eiji as a kind man who loved to help and to heal people, but this was a man who had also killed his infant daughter. Through a complete accident, but still, she had died because of his work.

'_I shouldn't be this infuriated with Eiji.' _Xemnas thought. _'At least he didn't experiment on young children, like I did all those years before.' _Yes, it was true that he had experimented on children in the past, but they all came out mostly unharmed in the end. Yet now he had to wonder if those same children had grown up to develop similar health problems to the ones that Eiji's daughter had. It was a scary thought. He had conducted experiments on many children. Had he ruined any of their lives through his morbid curiosities? Xemnas shuddered at the thought.

Xemnas froze as he looked at the next, and last, journal in the once large stack. It was the same journal Xemnas had found stashed away in Zack's bloody clothes when he was brought to the hospital that day. Xemnas set the journal on his lap, his hands placed on top of it to steady himself. He took a deep breath, opened it, and eagerly flipped through the pages. At first he only saw mere sketches of battle plans, but soon his eyes fell to a journal entry that he knew he would see eventually if he continued to read, yet he was still unprepared. The top of the entry read:

_Dear Mom,_

_I woke up in a hospital today. You wouldn't believe how cute my nurse is. He's got beautifully tanned skin and the prettiest silver hair. But I think it's his eyes that capture me the most. They're amber. I've never seen eyes like that. Yet I think I may know why they're so strangely colored. You see, I could tell right away that he was a Nobody…_

Xemnas knew then that _this _journal was where the real answers were. He eagerly continued to read, wondering what Zack's final journal had in store for him.

* * *

Author's Note: DON DON DON!!! My dreaded cliffhangers have returned. Hehehe. I'm such a bitch. =) But you guys love me anyway right?? RIGHT!!! You better, or else you wont be seeing anymore chapters for a LONG time. Lol. Okay, I'm kidding about that. I'm not that mean. But seriously, PLLEEEEEEAAASSSSEEE REVIEW!!! I spent quite a bit of time on this chapter, especially towards the end. The next chapter is going to be a tough one, since it has to correspond with Xemmy's past with Zack perfectly. Anyway, enough of my rambling…GO REVIEW!!! (I give digital cookies.=)


	18. Zack's Diaries Part IV

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Kingdom Hearts. I wouldn't be sitting here writing this if I did.

Author's Note: I'm so sorry that this has taken so much longer to update than I expected! I've had a horrible case of writers block, or more like I just haven't been able to bring myself to write for some reason. I think I'm ready for the main plot of this story just as much as you guys are. After this chapter, no more journal entries. I promise.=) Also, this chapter would have been up five days sooner, but my family decided to take a trip to Galveston and I couldn't take my laptop with me. Once again, so so so sorry!!!=(

* * *

_End of Chapter 17: Zack's Diaries Part III_

_Dear Mom,_

_I woke up in a hospital today. You wouldn't believe how cute my nurse is. He's got beautifully tanned skin and the prettiest silver hair. But I think it's his eyes that capture me the most. They're amber. I've never seen eyes like that. Yet I think I may know why they're so strangely colored. You see, I could tell right away that he was a Nobody…_

_Xemnas knew then that this journal was where the real answers were. He eagerly continued to read, wondering what Zack's final journal had in store for him. _

* * *

Chapter 18: Zack's Diaries Part IV

Xemnas breath quickened and stared at the pages in front of him, unable to read any further.

Zack had known.

Somehow, this didn't shock him.

Yet, it was enough to make him rethink previous decision to continue reading.

'_No, I have to do this.' _Xemnas thought as he took a deep breath. If he didn't do this now, he knew he would never try to discover the truth again. Xemnas read steadily, starting from the top of the page again.

_Dear Mom,_

_I woke up in a hospital today. You wouldn't believe how cute my nurse is. He's got beautifully tanned skin and the prettiest silver hair. But I think it's his eyes that capture me the most. They're amber. I've never seen eyes like that. Yet I think I may know why they're so strangely colored. You see, I could tell right away that he was a Nobody, the same breed of creature that has given my father power for so long. I don't understand how something so pretty could be related to the horrible monsters I figured they would be. He seems so innocent…_

_I can just hear Haydn telling me not to trust so easily, after what happened with Naoki. But I don't know, this feels different somehow. I think I can trust him more._

_I should have looked into his mind while I had the chance, but I was too busy watching him to even think about that. He asked me routine questions that any doctor would ask (I teased him along the way), and then I asked him for his name. It's Xemnas. Kind of strange, but it's beginning to grow on me._

_~Zack_

Xemnas couldn't help but smile at the thought of the first time him and Zack had spoken. He never would have guessed what would become of their relationship in a few months time based on that first conversation. His hands fluttered over the paper in remembrance, more than a bit confused when he realized that the paper the entry was written on wasn't originally from the journal. The paper had been glued inside of the journal by Zack's precise hands. He could tell that at one time, when the paper was brand new, that it had lined up with the seams and corners of the journal perfectly.

However, the paper was now folded and worn in the corners, the old glue starting to lose its strength.

'_How did I not notice this before?'_

Why had Zack glued the paper in when he could have easily written in the journal. Was he trying to hide something that was written on the actual paper provided? No, that didn't sound right. It was his private journal. Why would he feel the need to hide anything?

Then again, Zack was turning out to be a person Xemnas had never thought he could be.

With that, he carefully peered through the thin sheet of paper glued on top of the journal's paper.

It was blank.

'_Blank.'_

Xemnas reached a realization.

He had taken the journal out of Zack's pocket the day he treated him in the hospital. Zack hadn't been able to write in his journal because Xemnas hadn't given it back to him the day he awoke. Xemnas sighed at his own foolishness. Zack had built up so many secrets in these journals that Xemnas was trying to inject his own into its old, worn pages.

_Dear Mom,_

_I've come to notice that Xemnas gets flustered very easily. I really should stop messing with him so much; he's probably afraid of me now. I'm glad that he gave me back my journal today. Turns out it survived the last battle I was in, which is an even bigger miracle than the fact that I survived. Good thing there was nothing written in here besides battle strategies. If he got curious and decided to take a peek, at least there was nothing in here that could get me in trouble. _

_I wish I could get out of this damn hospital bed, but Xemnas said they probably wont let me leave for at least another month because of hospital regulations. I feel fine though. My wounds are almost completely healed. Why must demons heal so much faster than humans?_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I finally got to see inside Xemnas's mind today. He started asking me about the war, so while he was busy focusing on what I was saying and not on his own thoughts, I snuck in. I have to say, I'm extremely confused._

_I could only go into his memory as far back as two years ago. It seems that he has no recollection of his life before that, which would make sense because of his Nobody status. From what I gathered, I found out that he was rescued by a man in the outskirts of this town, Rokugo, and was brought to this man's family. _

_I never saw any of their faces, but I did keep hearing a crying sound. At one point the crying stopped, and I felt a great sadness in some of the memories after that. I don't understand what happened. I wasn't able to find out anything else because Xemnas distracted me with a strangely worded sentence. (He asked me to take my shirt off, but the __**way **__he said it sounded wrong. Maybe I just have a dirty mind.) _

_I guess I'll have to find out more later. He managed to distract me __**again **__by poking and prodding at my waist. The poor little thing thought I was making weird noises because I was in pain. If only he knew the real reason._

_He's so young. He's not even eighteen yet. (Disappointing for me because I can't legally date him yet.) I don't know why they would hire someone so young. He shouldn't even be out of high school yet. Is he? I haven't asked him. Are hospitals really so desperate now that they'll hire someone with so little experience? Sure, he's very smart and all, but he doesn't seem mature enough to handle the job of a doctor. None the less, he's doing much better than I would._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_My day started off as shitty as the weather._

_I woke up very late, but I really didn't mind because I thought I was going to see Xemnas. It turns out he was late to work because of the bad weather, so another nurse had to replace him. A female, and a bitchy one at that. All she was told to do was give me my food! She didn't have to sit there and __**feed **__me! I'm not an invalid! She tried to make me eat __**meat**__! When I refused she started threatening me with a spork! (Haydn would have laughed even harder than Xemnas did if he ever heard about that. I didn't find it very funny.)_

_Speaking of Xemnas, he's the one that saved me from that awful woman. He got to the room just in time. If he had come any later I don't know what would've happened. __**Someone **__would have gotten hurt eventually. _

_After Xemnas managed to get rid of the bitch, I got to tell him that I'm a vegetarian. He even ran down the street to get me some really good food from a specialty vegetarian restaurant. It was nice of him; I just hope he doesn't get in trouble for it later. Patients aren't really allowed to have food that doesn't come from the hospital. _

_He also told me how he became a doctor, technically a nurse, as I found out. It was first and foremost because of a shortage of doctors, but the second reason is far more personal. He has no clue that he's a Nobody, much less what life as a human was like because he thinks he is one. I also found out that __**Xemnas **__was the one that Dr. Eiji smelled like when Haydn was in this hospital last year. He must have barely started working at the hospital when Haydn came around. I wasn't sure if it was really __**the **__Dr. Eiji at first, but through Xemnas's story and a later event I realized that I was correct._

_Xemnas told me that the doctor found him unconscious on the outskirts of town and took him home to get him cleaned up. I started to get suspicious when I found out that the man who save Xemnas had a baby girl who mysteriously fell ill with an "unknown virus" and died shortly after. What's more, the very man in question walked in the room to examine me. I found out then that Eiji was the one who had found Xemnas __**bleeding **__in the middle of nowhere. That immediately told me that he knew what Xemnas was; a Nobody's blood is pitch black. _

_Eiji also mentioned that Xemnas hasn't bled once since, which concerns me because this man has no knowledge of the potions that could conceal his blood's color. If Xemnas were ever to get even the tinniest cut…well, I'm not sure what he would do. If only I could make it and find a way to give it to him…_

_It was also clear that Eiji knew exactly what I was; he didn't hesitate to mention Haydn when the subject of the orphanage came up. He said I can leave the hospital in another week. I know I should be happy, but I can't help but feel that I'll be leave something, or __**someone**__, very important behind by departing with this building. _

_~Zack_

There was a short entry from the same day logged in a few hours later.

_Dear Mom,_

_I forgot to mention one __**tiny **__detail earlier. I told Xemnas that I'm gay, and it turns out he is too! At first I was afraid that telling him would make things awkward for both of us, but it didn't. Now I have a better chance with him!_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom._

_I did it. Xemnas will most definitely be my boyfriend now. I left the hospital today, but I took as long as I could getting ready, hoping Xemnas would show up to say goodbye. _

_Sadly, he didn't._

_I have to admit that I was extremely disappointed; I thought he was going to show up. For a minute I started to doubt that he cared at all, that maybe to him I was just another patient than needed tending to and that was it. _

_I started wandering the halls to see if I could spot him. I was about to give up when I decided to go check my room, for good measure. _

_When I got there I saw a very disappointed looking Xemnas turning to leave my room. I grabbed him and thanked him for everything he's done for me, and then, I kissed him. It was amazing, better than kissing Naoki ever was. I think that may have something to do with the fact that Xemnas's kiss was actually genuine…_

_I asked him out on a date. He responded by shyly admitting that he had never been asked out on a date before, therefore, he's never been in a proper relationship with another guy. He found this embarrassing, but I find it extremely endearing that he already trusts me enough to confide in me with that kind of information. It worries me that a Nobody so innocent and clueless about the danger of people and the world is wandering around practically all alone. It's unnerving. What if father happened to sniff him out? He would surely be killed and devoured. If I start making the Rikkido and Rokkudo right now, I think that it'll be ready for my date with Xemnas is a few days. Hopefully I'll be able to sneak it into his food or something. _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Mission accomplished. I managed to sneak the potion into Xemnas's food and drink while he was distracted. Now I don't have to worry so much over the next month. I just hope that I'll be able to give it to him as time goes on. What happens if I get called out to battle and cant give it to him in time? What if they sense him and find out his location while I'm away? No one will be able to protect him… _

_On a happier note, my date went really well. Xemnas was adorable and I got to kiss him at the end of the night. I'd say it was a pretty good date. =)_

_~Zack_

Xemnas found it hard to believe that at one point he was so unobservant that he hadn't noticed Zack sneak a potion into his food. However, he had learned from his mistakes. He didn't miss much anymore, and for some reason, he suddenly became very unsure of whether that was one of his greatest strengths or one of his greatest faults.

_Dear Mom,_

_I feel horrible about this, but it looks like I'm going to have to leave Xemnas to go battle in a couple of months. How am I going to break it to the poor kid? We just started dating and I'm already leaving him for the war. (I wouldn't do so, mind you, if I had a say in the matter.) How do I tell him about something like this? I can't make any promises as to when I'll be back because for all I know, I may __**never **__be able to come back. (I could never tell Xemnas something like that though. He'd worry too much.) Then there's the problem with the potions. The idea of not being able to give them to him every month makes me uneasy. I have to figure this out._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I told Xemnas that I'm going to have to leave soon. I could tell that he was worried and disappointed, and most importantly, nervous at the thought of what could happen. Yet, he didn't outwardly show me any of that. He pretended that he was okay with the whole thing. He actually smiled at me at one point and assured me that I would be okay and would come home safely. I felt like I was one of his patients undergoing extensive surgery or something. I also felt like he was only saying it to reassure himself. He's scared and that breaks my heart. How would he feel if something bad happened to me? I know how I would feel if it were him. Then again, if anyone dared to hurt him I would probably rip their head off. Xemnas is too gentle for that though. I can't imagine him hurting even a tiny, insignificant fly._

_~Zack_

Xemnas couldn't help but give a laugh full of bitterness at the last sentence of the entry. He had hurt much more than insects. He had murdered hundreds, maybe thousands of people in his quest for domination. How had Xemnas gone from the sweet innocent seventeen year old that Zack had met to the man he was now? How had he stooped to Zack's enemies' level in a matter of a few years? It still baffled him. He continued to read, determined not to confront his inner demons just yet.

_Dear Mom,_

_Well, I leave in exactly a week. The past few months with Xemnas have flown by incredibly fast, and now I will have to leave him soon. It's a sad thought, but I guess the only thing I can do is enjoy the time I have._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I left today. Xemnas looked about ready to cry. I miss him already. _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Today was my first day back on the field. The battle was pretty simple. I hope it stays that way so I can go home to Xemnas uninjured. It's already lonely here without him._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I've only been gone a few weeks, and I can't stand it. It's so lonely all the time. Maybe it would be better if the battles were more difficult, but they've seemed to become increasingly easy. At least I would have something to take my mind off of things if I had more fighting to do. Instead I'm out here fighting in battles that don't really matter. There have been a few times where I've wanted to take a nap in the middle of the battlefield, but somehow I have a feeling that wouldn't go over well. I've talked to Xemnas a couple of times since I left, but I still wish I could talk to him more. It's really ridiculous. I feel like I shouldn't even be here._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_It's been a month since I last saw Xemnas and I just found that I'm going to be able to go home tomorrow! I'm so excited. I almost called Xemnas to tell him, but I think I'm going to surprise him instead. I'll go pick him up from his last class.=)_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Surprised Xemnas like I said I would. It was amazing to kiss him and see his beautiful smile again. Another plus was telling off this bitch who's made life miserable for Xemnas ever since he started attending Kochi University. I know that you wouldn't approve of that kind of behavior, and neither do I, but it was worth it. Seeing the look on that girl's face when she realized that Xemnas had something that she wants but can absolutely __**NOT **__have. Not that someone like that would ever admit she wanted something that's completely out of reach. Stupid preppy bitch._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I've been negotiating with my captain. He's agreed to let me stay in Rokug with Xemnas as long as I train. (In case anything goes wrong and they really need me. Yet, I don't see that happening soon. Things are pretty mellow right now.) Even though I wont have to stay away from Xemnas for long term battles, he says I'll still have to participate I the short ones. That's perfectly fine. As long as I'm there the majority of the time to keep an eye on Xemnas, I'll be okay. Now, I must leave you so I can get back to brewing Xemnas's potions…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Just started training on my own today. It went pretty well. I think I'm going to start taking Xemnas with my whenever I can. I'd like to start training him. He needs to know how to protect himself. If I wasn't there to protect him and something bad happened I would feel like an idiot for not doing anything to help him. I'm not going to ask him to join me right away. That would only intimidate him. I'll provoke his interests for a while beforehand._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Took Xemnas with me to training for the first time today. He didn't say much, but he seemed interested. Hopefully I'll be able to get him to join me soon. The only problem is catching him at a time when he can come with me. Between college and his job at the hospital, he's a pretty busy kid. I don't want to distract him from the things that he finds important. That would just push him away. I don't want to risk that._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Sorry its taken me so long to write, but nothing really interesting has been going on lately. (Except for the fact that Xemnas and I have been getting closer as the days go by.) I also got Xemnas to train with me yesterday. I think he'll do pretty good with a bit more practice. He did pretty well for his first time, but he'd still be completely hopeless if anyone tried to attack him. (It's so cute watching your boyfriend when he has no idea what he's doing.) _

_Training him made me realize just how naïve he is. He may be incredibly book smart, but he doesn't know the true danger of the world he lives in. He doesn't even realize how close Rokugo is to being attacked. This place is like a ticking time bomb that could be set off by even the smallest wrong move. Xemnas doesn't realize the danger he is to himself by being a Nobody in this war. If anyone from either side found out…he'd be dead. The demons are looking for all the Nobodies they can find in order to devour them and gain more power. The humans want them dead because they've wrongly accused the Nobodies of starting this battle. If they only knew that so many Nobodies are completely unaware of what they are or that Nobodies like Xemnas exist. Nobodies that are kind, sweet, and gentle…_

_Xemnas asked me about my past after our training session. I hate having to lie to him about where I'm really from. What would he say if I told him everything? Would he still want to be with me? Would he judge me, or would he still look at me the way he always has? I'm not sure, but I know I cant tell him, at least not yet. Although, I feel like I'll want to tell him about my entire life eventually. Maybe when the war is over…_

_~Zack_

'_Well, the war never ended in your lifetime, now did it Zackary?' _Xemnas thought sullenly, remembering all too well that Zack had died just before the war had ended.

At the hands of the enemy.

If that day had never come, Zack would probably still be alive today, and Xemnas may very well have remained clueless about what he truly was. He would be married, probably with children.

'_But then you would never get to know the man that you're beginning to see as more than an ally __**or **__friend.'_ Xemnas's inner voice said softly.

'_What are you talking about? What man?' _Xemnas asked the inner voice, though he was sure he already knew the answer.

'_Sephiroth, of course.'_ The voice said. Xemnas shook his head defiantly.

'_That's ridiculous. I have no feelings him.'_

'_If you say so…'_ The inner voice mumbled before Xemnas shushed it by thinking of something, _anything _except the gorgeous silver haired man with piercing green eyes.

His thoughts immediately went to Zack.

Would Zack have told him what he was eventually? Would Xemnas have believed him? Would Zack have taken the time to explain what he was, or would he have kept him in the dark about it by continuing to change the color of his blood? It was all a mystery now.

'_Not like it matters.'_ Xemnas reassured himself. '_Zack is long gone. No need to worry over things that can never happen.'_

Xemnas flipped through the journal, finding an entry that particularly caught his eye. It was dated three months after the previous entry.

_Dear Mom,_

_I went to the hospital to pick Xemnas up from work only to find that he was working overtime. I was a little annoyed at first, seeing as I haven't been able to spend much time with him lately, but found that waiting paid off. I was able to corner Eiji and talk to him alone. _

_I told him I know what he's done, to which he wasn't surprised. Then I asked him why he had taken Xemnas in, knowing what he was and how much trouble they've caused in the war. _

_Xemnas started off as a curiosity, just like everything else Eiji has taken home with him. He had experimented on dead Nobodies previous to this, but he had never seen a living specimen before. It makes me sick to think that he could have turned Xemnas into another one of his little toys in an experiment had he not changed his mind the second the boy woke up. He kept Xemnas healthy because he knew that the chances of having a living Nobody at his whim would never come again. _

_However, when Xemnas woke up, he was expecting to be greeted by someone who showed absolutely no feelings or emotion. Instead he got Xemnas, an innocent teenage boy with quite a few feelings. I can't say I blame Eiji for thinking the way he did; I had the exact same prejudice against Nobodies before I found Xemnas…_

_I'm not sure what to make of Dr. Eiji. Part of me resents him a great deal for going through the trouble of healing Xemnas in his own home with the intent of using him for his own selfish purposes. The other side of me is grateful to him for treating Xemnas with the kindness he deserves. So, all in all, this Eiji guy seems like he's part selfish bastard and part kind hearted man. I think he may treat Xemnas so well out of his guilt for what he's done to his family through his risky experiments. But that's just a little theory of mine._

_~Zack_

So he had started out as one of Eiji's lab experiments? Or, at least that had been the original intention. He had never thought that Dr. Eiji would do something like that, but now…

'_Now I'm not sure of anything.'_

_Dear Mom, _

_Xemnas is really coming along in his training. He's been training with me for six months and he's come further than I ever imagined he would. He catches on quickly, and if he makes a mistake he gets right back up and tries harder and does better than he did the time before. He doesn't realize what incredible progress he's made, but I do. If only more people could be like him; the world would surely be a better place._

_Even so, I'm still not confident that Xemnas will be okay if anything were to happen. I need to continue to keep an eye on him and train him. I want him to be as confident as he possibly can be in an emergency concerning the war._

_I'm also afraid that I may be pushing Xemnas into our relationship too fast. After we were done training today, we started kissing, and things started getting a little out of hand. I was almost tempted to let it happen, but then I stopped it at the last moment. I can tell Xemnas felt let down, but I don't want to rush him into anything. He's too innocent; he doesn't realize what jumping into a more intimate relationship too quickly will do to him in the end. __**I**__ would know all too well how much it hurts…I was about the same age as him…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Tried to talk Eiji into leaving town today. I don't think he realizes the danger that he's in by staying here. If my clan knew what he knew…that he had a Nobody in his grasp…it would destroy all of us. He refuses to leave, even though he's putting himself, his family, and probably the whole town in danger by staying. All of this for a foolish reason: that he needs to stay here to continue saving people's lives. And the sentimentality that both he, his wife, and his children have lived here their entire lives. If they're not careful, it might also wind up being their early grave._

_Although all of this sounds like a completely irrational decision on Eiji's part, I can understand why he's dong it. I'd probably refuse to leave too…_

_I'll have to keep trying. Hopefully my persistence will pay off for once._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Xemnas's technique has improved drastically, yet I'm still worried about him. If only there were some way for me to ensure that he would be okay…_

_I think it's time to call Haydn and do some research._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_It took me a few weeks to get in touch with Haydn, but I managed to get through to him. (Trust me, it was near impossible. Security has gotten a lot tighter lately, even for those in the military.) Anyway, I talked to him for a good three hours. (There's nothing going on at his base right now. They haven't had an actual battle in a month.) I talked to him about Xemnas, without telling him about Xemnas being a Nobody. (I can't risk the lines being tapped.) I told him about my little problem regarding his safety._

_He's doing some research._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Both Haydn and I have drawn a complete blank in our research; I've been just as unsuccessful with convincing Eiji to leave. I don't know what else to do. I'm going to have to rely on Haydn for advice again._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_As usual, Haydn gave me the simplest advice that even a complete moron could think of on their own, meaning I must be much less than that for not thinking of it. (Upon telling Haydn of my discovery he claimed that it was completely untrue and that I was being silly. Sounds like something a smart person would say to an idiot, doesn't it?) Anyway, he basically told me that I should wait it out, give Eiji a while to think things through. He said if I keep pestering him he's likely to never speak to me again. Sounds like something I would do._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Xemnas and I have been dating for nearly a year and a half and its been the best time of my life. I'm going to ask him to move in with me tomorrow. I'm not sure why…but it just feels right. I think I'd like it if he lived with me. I think we know each other well enough to handle this. It will also help me keep an eye on him. I just hope he says yes. The thought of rejection makes me queasy._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_He said yes! He's already moved in with me. He's sleeping in __**our **__bed as I write this. _

_It's snowing here. It's a lot harder to find Xemnas when a bunch of people are playing in a field of white around Kochi's campus. Thank whatever gods are up there for my powerful nose. When I managed to find him I pulled him into an empty classroom and told him my proposition. He gladly excepted.=) I'm extremely happy about it…but at the same time… I can't help but feel like the worst boyfriend in the world. When I asked him, he thought I wasn't being serious at first and I let the worst set of words fall out of my mouth…_

"_Would I ever lie to you?"_

_I regretted saying it the moment it left my lips. Would I ever? I have! For what feels like thousands of times. If I live to see the end of this war, how the hell am I going to explain all of this to Xemnas? I can't lie to him forever. Will he leave me if he finds out I've built our entire relationship out of lies? I don't want to think about a life without him._

_No, I can't think like that. If one thing about our relationship is true, it's that we both love each other. If that wont get us through rough times in our relationship, I don't know what will._

_------------------------_

'_Try getting stabbed in the gut by an enemy soldier's sword.'_ Xemnas thought as he stopped reading mid-entry. Zack had lied to him the whole time they were together. Their love hadn't survived the brutality of the war. (No surprise, considering Xemnas's love wasn't real at the time.) An anger rose inside of him, more acute than any kind of fury he had felt before. Zack had died five years ago, but the idea that he had been lied to throughout the course of their entire relationship was brand new, fresh in his mind. Why would Zack not tell him about his heritage? Did he really think that Xemnas, as innocuous as he was back then, would have loved him any less, regardless of what he was? Xemnas shoved those thoughts aside and buried his anger as best as he could. He continued to read:

_On a happier note, Xemnas and I got to meet Dr. Eiji's older daughter, Misa, today. She walked into the classroom that Xemnas and I were using for a little…follow up discussion. *cough cough* In short, it kind of scared the crap out of her when she saw us and got a little bit clumsy. (She took a table with her when she tripped over herself.) Thankfully Xemnas knows how to talk to people and calm them down, because I didn't know what to do at all. She seems more put together than her father, despite her inelegance. She doesn't seem like the type of person who would try risky experiments that could harm her family. She wants to be an artist. That comforts me somehow, that she's more interested in testing the limits or the art world instead of the limits of the real one. We need more people like that, people who can take others away from the horror of the mess we live in with their creativity. Dark times call for it._

_Despite Misa's kindness, there's a strong sense of sadness about her, like she's witnessed some of the worst pain and suffering in the world. I believe she has, with her little sister being taken away from her so abruptly. Her grief follows her around as if it's a part of her own shadow. _

_Why does it always seems to be the young that suffer so much? Is it because we're the weakest links? Is that the gods' way of telling us to toughen up for an ever rougher ride ahead of us? _

_I had to deal with the scent of depression and regret around me all day because Misa offered to help us move. I'm thankful for her help, regardless of how maimed my nose is. We got twice as much done as we would have otherwise. Today was a busy, but successful day. _

_Oh, and Xemnas finally gave into one of my nicknames. I'm officially allowed to call him Xemmy.=) _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Got up early today and started moving more of Xemnas's (or Xemmy's) things into the apartment. We've almost got everything moved, which is amazing considering we started yesterday. We should have everything that Xemnas wants to bring in by tomorrow. After that we're going to start selling the furniture and other items that he doesn't want to keep. Then we get to argue about where all of Xemnas's stuff is going to be placed in our new home! That should be…fun…_

_Misa already offered to help us with those two factors too. We've only known her for two days and I already feel like we can't live without her._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_The past two weeks have been busy. Between getting Xemmy settled into the apartment and work I haven't had any time to write. Nothing interesting has been going on lately. The only thing worth noting is that Xemnas has finally made some friends. Him and Misa have been growing closer. It's been such a short time span since they met, yet they've already formed a friendship that is going to become very strong. Xemnas is not only forming a friendship with Misa, but also with her friends. They'll probably be out far past sunset. Part of me is glad; he needs friends like any other person. Another part of me is nervous. What if there were an attack? What if they smell him? (I know that's completely impossible because of the Rikkido I give him every month, but I can't help but be paranoid.) The rest of me…_

_The rest of me is jealous that I don't get him to myself anymore._

_I know that it's selfish, but I can't help it. Despite my jealousy, I would never try to come between him and the time he has with his friends, even when Xemmy asked if I wanted to go with them today. I told him I was tired, which is true enough. I need to catch up on my sleep and do some more research._

_Haydn and I still haven't found anything. No a single clue._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Today was Christmas! Probably the best I've ever had. The only thing that could have possibly made it better was if Haydn were here…I hope he's all right…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Xemnas has been back in school for a while now. I don't know how he does it: works at the hospital, goes to school, does his assignments, hangs out with his friends __**and **__manages to have a boyfriend. I don't understand how he finds time to sleep when he has to fit no less then forty-eight hours into a twenty-four hour day. He's beautiful and amazing. There's no other way to put it._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn may just be on to something…but I can't talk about it because I'm not sure yet. I'll let you know when I find out more._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_For once I'm glad that Xemnas is so busy. It gives me more time to do research without him getting curious. I'd really enjoy it if I didn't have to lie to him about anything else…_

_There may be a way for me to ensure that Xemnas is safe if, god forbid, I die and leave him to fend for himself._

_I should be sure within the next few weeks._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I'm quite sure that Xemnas is the most remarkable person in the world. He came home today after school and work and tried to take over my job of making dinner. I told him not to worry about it, and then we took our relationship further than we ever have. Not that we had sex…not completely anyway._

_I fear I may have caused him to feel insecure; he wanted to take it further, and gladly would have let me, had I not stopped it from happening. He thinks that I keep pulling away because he isn't good enough, and no matter how many times I tell him that it's not true, he won't believe me. His mouth says he's convinced, but his eyes show his insecurities. Those amber eyes always give him away in the end. _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I think Haydn's plan may work. It will only help Xemnas if I somehow die…but it will have to do. I would be more at ease if I knew a fraction of myself was with him at all times. It could get tricky though…if Xemnas doesn't take that piece of me when I die…_

_It's a risk I'll have to take. I wish I could tell Haydn why I'm so concerned with Xemnas's well-being, but that would be a bad idea to do so over the phone. Haydn probably thinks I'm psychotic. Hopefully he'll be able to come over soon and see the exact reason behind my worries. Would he embrace my love for Xemnas, regardless of him being a Nobody? Surely he would…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn sent me the ancient spell book I need to complete my task. It's an old book filled with spells our ancestors used years before us. Yet this one in particular…I can tell that not many used this one. It's extremely difficult and most wouldn't have any use for it. I'm almost afraid to use it, but I know it's my only option if I want to ensure Xemnas's protection. I'll just have to practice before I go through with it…_

_~Zack_

Xemnas was beyond confused. What the hell was Zack talking about? What had he mentioned in a previous entry? That Haydn's idea was risky if he didn't take "that piece of Zack with him?" What could that mean? As far as Xemnas could tell, Zack had not protected him since the day he flung himself over his body…a day that would stay ingrained in his mind for the rest of his life…

So what was this protection? Had Zack failed in his attempts at whatever he was trying to do? Had this so called "ancient spell" been too difficult for Zack to master, skilled as he was? Had he given up? That wasn't something Xemnas thought Zack would do. As he read the next entry, dated about four months later, he realized that he was right.

_Dear Mom,_

_I did it. It took me four months, but I did it. If fate decides that I must die, a part of me will still protect Xemnas. I feel a little more at ease, but also a bit nervous. Not only for what I've just done, but for tomorrow evening as well._

_I'm going to ask Xemnas to marry me. _

_I've already bought both of our rings and everything. I would have written more about it, but I've been so busy trying to get this spell right that I haven't had any time. I hope he says yes! _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_He said yes! We're going to get married! I'm still trying to process it all. I can't believe that I'm going to spend the rest of my life with the man I love more than anything. I have to go now. Xemmy and I have already started making arrangements for our wedding.=)_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom, _

_I wish I could give Xemnas the most beautiful, most extravagant wedding possible, but seeing as the way the war has affected every single aspect of life, that isn't going to happen. Every time I bring it up he tells me to stop worrying, that we're going to have a beautiful wedding despite the fact that it wont be a very large ordeal. He says he wants to keep it small anyway, just friends and the people we consider our family, since neither one of us has a real one. _

_Sometimes it hurts, realizing that the only blood relative I have is the monster who put this whole war into action. It hurts even more to know that Xemnas probably has a family somewhere that he'll probably never remember. Sometimes I wonder if they're still out there mourning the loss of a son that disappeared without a trace. I sit and wonder what that first day, that first week must have been like. They must have been a good family for Xemnas to turn out as sweet as he is despite all that he's been through._

_~Zack_

A lump caught in Xemnas's throat at the last part of the entry. A loving, caring family? He'd never really had a biological one. He'd been an orphan at a young age. He didn't remember much of his real parents; their faces and voices were a mere blur in his mind. He'd been on his own until Ansem found him. He'd come to see the man as his father, and the others as his older/younger brothers. Braig, Dilan, Even, Aeleus, and Ienzo. It was strange to think that the men he once considered his brothers quickly turned into his lackeys. His careless experimentation had destroyed his own life as well as theirs. He had shown his gratitude to Ansem by going against his orders and conducting experiments that the old man deemed "too dangerous." They were horrible experiments, and one small slip up caused him to lose everything. Some good job he had done to hold on to the closest thing he had to a family. He'd also done a _splendid _job at being a leader in the days of trying to complete Kingdom Hearts.

Regret clung tightly to Xemnas and was unable to repress it this time. He had felt the phantom of this emotion several times during the days of Organization XIII. This apparition of an emotion had been especially strong when he stood next to the five Nobodies he used to know so well, but were strangers to him after his mistake. It only got worse as the memories started to flood back over time, especially when it came to Ienzo. He felt particularly guilty for taking away the life of someone who had been so incredibly smart at a very early age. He was a mere child when he arrived at Ansem's. Xemnas's arrogant nature provided Ienzo with no say in any decisions made, even though he had been the one to convince Ansem to let them use the lab. Ienzo never had a full childhood because of his imprudent mistakes. What else had he deprived all of the others of? He wasn't sure if he wanted to know.

_Dear Mom,_

_Xemnas hasn't been very happy recently. All of his friends are leaving for other schools or attempting to avoid the war. I hate seeing the disappointment and sadness in his eyes every time someone leaves. He just barely formed friendships with these people and they're leaving. Misa will soon be the only one left and she's going to be leaving for art school soon. _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Turns out Misa isn't leaving. She wants to stay here to help out her family. I'm happy that she's staying, for Xemnas's sake, yet at times I wish she would leave. She'd be safer at an arts school. There are times when I can feel my clan nearby, bordering the outskirts of Rokugo. It's like they're circling it, sizing up the town and all of its inhabitants before attacking. I can almost feel the end of the Eiji family in my veins._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Talked to Haydn today and told him that his plan worked. He seemed pleased about it, but that faded as soon as I told him the clan was near. Eiji still refuses to leave, even though I'm sure he knows that the clan is close, with that strong nose of his. Once they realize that he's a descendant of our clan, or a "blood traitor" as they like to call them, they're likely to attack. If they don't want Eiji, than I don't know what they want. If they wanted to have a mindless killing spree, they would have destroyed everything by now. They couldn't have possibly detected my scent or Xemnas's with the potion…_

_It's perplexing, but I can't make any attempts to find out what's going on. The whole clan is surrounding the outskirts of this town. If I were to step just a foot outside of here…_

_Haydn could have come to visit this week, but that wouldn't be the best idea right now. The clan will probably still be here, and Haydn has no way to conceal his scent. I'm not taking any chances._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_There have been attacks going on for the past couple of months. The news keeps telling __people that the wolves in the area are responsible for the attacks. The wildlife experts in __the area keep saying that they're the only animals that could produce the kinds of __bite marks on the bodies left behind, but I know better. Those marks are a distinguishable __sign of our clan. There's no way a wolf would mangle bodies like this. Haydn's seen it __too. We're both quite worried, and it's sad because they're starting to kill the wolves that __they've placed the blame on. What if the clan starts killing people that are out there __acting as pest control? So far they haven't tried anything, but I wouldn't put it past them. __The only thing I can do now is make preparations in the event of an attack. I have no idea __what they're planning, but whatever it is, I have to be ready for it._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_I've made arrangements so that I can have a friend from my base move Xemnas to a __small town on the outskirts of Rokugo just outside the city of Kinosaki. We should be safe __there. The only thing is…well, it's by the tree that our clan used as a portal years ago. __Actually, it's right in the backyard. I remember father telling me about it once when I was little. They used it to travel faster to get prey. It hasn't been used in years. It's well known throughout the clan that a horrible accident involving the spells of two enemy clans hit the tree and made it impossible for it to be used as a portal. Nobody has been able to activate the portal since. I was uneasy about buying the house at first, but it was the only thing available and the only place I felt we would be safe. I'm going to cut the tree down as soon as I can if we have to move in. I don't think that there's any way to access the portal again, but I would feel better if it were gone. Haydn's going to kill me when he finds out…_

_~Zack_

The tree was a portal to Zack's clan? Xemnas shuddered at the thought, seeing as the same tree was in very close proximity. But the portal was closed off, right? It had to be. Yet, even with this in mind, Xemnas had a horrible feeling that the tree might still be able to transport the demons.

_Dear Mom,_

_Just as I thought, Haydn wasn't too happy about my decision on the house. If only he knew what Xemnas was. Then he'd be __**really **__angry. With Xemnas's status as a Nobody…if that portal ever started working again…we might both be dead before either of us knew what happened. But certainly the clan would never be able to find us. They wouldn't know where we were, and by masking our scents, they would never be able to find us. _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_This is bad, very bad. The clan found out about Eiji's experiments…about Xemnas. They demanded answers about both subjects. They wanted to know where Xemnas and I were. How the ever found out I'm with him, I'll never know. When Eiji didn't give them any info, I was surprised that they didn't kill him on the spot. They must feel like the information that he possesses is too important for them not to get a hold of. They beat him pretty badly though. Just looking at the man's poor state made me wince. I couldn't help but make a healing potion for him. Thank god for our source for teaching us these things when we were still trying to break away. Speaking of our source, I hope he's all right…that he's somewhere safe…_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn's quite afraid of the way our clan reacted to Eiji's refusal to tell them anything. If they want information from Eiji so bad that they're willing to keep their blood thirsty tendencies at bay, then it can only spell trouble for Xemnas and I. What's even more puzzling is the fact that they disappeared last week. There haven't been any attacks since the day they threatened Dr. Eiji. The media believes that the town finally has the wolf population under control. How little they know…_

_Haydn's going to visit next week. He'll finally understand why I'm so protective of Xemnas._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Haydn arrived today. His visit was…interesting to say the least. He got along with Xemnas fine; I was afraid he might now like him because of the things he felt for me in the past. After all this time those feelings must have passed, right? Why then, do I keep getting a vibe telling me that they haven't? Haydn and I had a discussion in private while Xemnas was cooking dinner, which quickly turned into an argument. I hate doing that. I always have. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew what Xemnas was right away. That and the fact that we would be having a __**long **__talk about it. _

_Haydn wasn't as surprised about Xemnas being a Nobody as I thought he would be. He was, however, quick to tell me that if I let my emotions get the best of me both Xemnas and I could easily be killed. The worst part is knowing that he's right. I've let my better judgement and defense weaken with my downpour of emotions. I always seem to get in an argument with Haydn when I know he's right. It's like I turn into this beast who's willing to say or do anything to prove him wrong. _

_That won't get me anywhere significant. I wound up saying some things that hurt Haydn a lot. When he said that I was being stupid for letting my love for Xemnas rotationally ruin both of us, I told him that he wouldn't know the first thing about love. I know it was wrong, but it slipped before I could even think about it. Then I saw it. That same pain that Haydn always tries so hard to conceal. The pain that only I can detect. It was in his eyes, his posture, his movement. A split second later it was one. He blocked his mind from me completely. He's built himself his own personal force field from me. He wouldn't let me see a single one of his thoughts. _

_The only thing that betrayed him were his eyes. Try as he might, I can see through every single one of his mind blocks by looking him in the eyes. Sometimes I think that he can sense this; when we get into these types of arguments he refuses to look directly at me. _

_His eyes told me that he cares about me more than any friend should. _

_What do I do about this? Can I do anything about it? I'm getting married in a few months time for Christ's sake. And since he refuses to open up and talk about it…_

_We have more pressing matters at hand._

_Dr. Eiji still refuses to leave, even though Haydn and I can sense the presence of his and his family's death drawing nearer. What if they manage to extract memories from Eiji before they kill him? What will that mean for Xemnas and I? It's a chilling thought. All we can do is hope for the best. I hate feeling so helpless…_

_I also found out that my assumption of Misa being a closet pervert is correct. Haydn went through her sketchbook and found quite a few yaoi drawings. (Many of them of Xemmy and I.;) _

_I guess the only good that came from today besides that little snippet of information is that my fiancé and my best friend met. That, and the fact that Haydn has been moved to a base very close to mine, meaning we'll be seeing a lot more of him.=)_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_The past week has been extremely hard on Xemnas. We've learned about the deaths of people who used to live here, many of them Xemnas and Misa's friends. It seems that many of those who left were safer here. Our clan has taken to attacking towns surrounding Rokugo. Somehow I have a feeling that we will be next. I've already begun packing our belongings just in case we need to leave quickly. The problem is that I can only pack so much without Xemnas noticing. If he sees packed bags he'll ask questions, many of which I have no answers to. If he sees that I'm scared, it will only terrify him. I need him to stay calm. If the clan senses his fear, then we'll all die. _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Even with the fear of the clan attacking looming over my head, I feel that we're going to win this war. The signs are good. There have been far less battles, less of them being started by the enemy, meaning that they're starting to dwindle in numbers. Our side is finding it easier to overpower them, and fewer soldiers from our side are being transferred to hospitals. This also means less work for Xemnas and more time for us. ;)_

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Every time I look at Xemnas I realize just how much he means to me and how much I want to start a family with him. I know it's possible for us to have children, I'm just not sure how safe it is. Dr. Eiji developed a formula to make it possible. I'll have to ask Xemnas about it._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Those bastards. They attacked the hospital in broad daylight. They must have known that Haydn and I were on the way to pick up Xemnas, knowing we would rush in to help. The upper floors of the building were covered in smoke and all but one staircase was blocked. I was lucky to find Xemnas at all in that mess. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to, that they would get to him first. Fortunately I was able to protect him from those monsters. I think I hid him well. I don't think they were able to see or smell him; the smoke was too strong for that. Xemnas was only a few feet away and I couldn't smell him at all. I think it'll be okay._

_I couldn't protect him from everything._

_The clan killed the Eiji's, all of them. Xemnas saw; it wasn't a pretty sight. In my haste to stop him from seeing what had happened, I grabbed his wrist so hard that it nearly broke. It's swollen and has a huge purple welt on it. I can't believe I did that. I had no right to…_

_I managed to get him out of the building and have him transported to our new house. Haydn and I were left to deal with father and the others. I'm afraid. He said he knows about Xemnas and I, that he'll be coming to kill both of us soon…_

_Xemnas broke down when I got home. At least I managed to get our things from the apartment before it was destroyed. I think having not only me, but some of our familiar material things was a comfort to him. I hope so. I want him to be comfortable in this house. _

_Haydn and I got separated from one another at one point during the battle. I'm not exactly sure when. He came to the house baring bad news._

_He got moved to the frontlines. _

_The fucking frontlines._

_How the hell is he going to survive that?! I tried to convince him that he shouldn't go. I even tried to go with him, but he refused everything. He just left me with one request:_

"_When all of this is over, lets meet on the other side."_

_We will Haydn. We will. Somehow I've always had a feeling that neither one of us will see the end of this. Which one of us will go first, I have no idea. However, I do know that none of this will end with the war. The clan will rise to power again eventually. Their numbers may be diminishing now…but I know that they'll come back. Maybe not soon, but eventually. It scares me to no end._

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Xemnas feels uneasy around the tree. He must have a natural ability to sense what kind of dark things it has been used for without even realizing it. Now I have a reason to cut it down. _

_~Zack_

_Dear Mom,_

_Dear God, Haydn and I have made a terrible mistake. The biggest mistake that could possibly be made. Haydn found a book to translate the spell I used to protect Xemnas. It turns out we did something that could endanger the world. What were we thinking?! How could we have been so careless as to not translate the spell?! I fear that these may be some of my last moments alive. I can feel the clan drawing nearer. We don't even have time to run. They'd catch us regardless of what I do; they're too close now. I'm going to go spend some time with Xemnas now and try to act normal. This may be the last time I'm ever with him. If what the spell says is true, then my father will-_

Xemnas was unable to read more. The entry ended there. It looked as if at least one page had been ripped out of Zack's journal.

'_Who would have done that?'_

Surely Zack wouldn't have ripped the pages out. What reason would he have? Had someone else gotten to this journal and read it before him? If so, what was so important about this entry that they felt the need to rip it out?

As Xemnas let his mind wander, his anger returned to him. He had been lied to. Not just once, but several times. Zack had told him numerous times that he loved him, but apparently he had never loved him enough to tell him the truth. Xemnas looked up at the sky, noticing that it was either very early in the afternoon or very late in the morning. The breeze made his hair tousle quietly, so calm compared to how he was feeling.

"Do you see it now? Why I couldn't tell you?"

'_Haydn.'_ Xemnas thought angrily. A rage swept through his veins so suddenly that it almost scared him. Zack wasn't the only one who had lied to him. It seemed that much of what he knew about Haydn was just a big lie as well. It angered him to no end. How could they? What right did they have to keep this from him? He should have known from the beginning. Maybe if he had…

'_Maybe I could have helped and Zack would still be alive.'_

"You bastards." Xemnas said lowly as he stood. He couldn't forgive either Zack or Haydn for what they had done. Not yet.

* * *

Author's Note: Oh my, Xemmy is quite angry. But you guys can't blame him right? I'd be pissed too. Anyway, please please please leave reviews!! I love the support I get from you guys. It's wonderful.=) The next chapter is going to be back to the main storyline, and I'll make sure to add a bit of XemSeph goodness. Thanks guys! Hope you enjoyed reading!

Oh, It has also come to my attention that I've been writing this fanfic for over two years now. I'd like to thank everyone who has stuck with this story from the beginning, even if you were upset with me at some point for not updating faster. I just hope that the sometimes long wait for new chapters is worth it. Anyway, leave reviews in honor of this fics two year anniversary! XD I'd love to see what you guys think of this story so far.


	19. Introductions

Disclaimer: I think we all know that I don't own it. Except for my crazy OC's, which are all mine.=)

Warnings: Mostly language. New OC's in this chapter.

Author's Note: Yay! New chapter! Well, let's see how Xemmy reacts to everything he's just learned! Should be interesting.=)

* * *

_End of Chapter 18: Zack's Diaries Part IV_

"_Do you see it now? Why I couldn't tell you?"_

'_Haydn.' Xemnas thought angrily. A rage swept through his veins so suddenly that it almost scared him. Zack wasn't the only one who had lied to him. It seemed that much of what he knew about Haydn was just a big lie as well. It angered him to no end. How could they? What right did they have to keep this from him? He should have known from the beginning. Maybe if he had…_

'_Maybe I could have helped and Zack would still be alive.'_

"_You bastards." Xemnas said lowly as he stood. He couldn't forgive either Zack or Haydn for what they had done. Not yet._

* * *

Chapter 19: Introductions

Xemnas couldn't believe it. How _dare _he show his face after what he had just found out.

"You fucking bastards. How dare you!" Xemnas said as he summoned one of his Ethereal Blades and charged at Haydn. The other man blocked the attack easily with his acoustic guitar and shoved Xemnas into the very tree that had once been a portal many years ago.

"Stop it." Haydn said calmly, his dark green eyes burning into Xemnas's amber ones. His tone only made Xemnas angrier. He had just found out about all of Haydn and Zack's dirty little secrets and the man didn't even have the nerve to look ashamed?!

"Why should I?!" Xemnas spat as he struggled to break free from Haydn's powerful hold. "You lied! You both lied to me!"

"I know we did Xemnas…but you need to calm down. There are a lot of things that happened that you still don't understand." Haydn said evenly, becoming very cautious when he sensed that Xemnas's rage had tripled within a matter of seconds.

"Fuck you! I don't need to understand any more! How could you?!" Xemnas screamed as he attempted to strike Haydn again. The brunette knew he would need more than his guitar this time. As he dropped his acoustic back in its case with one hand, he pulled out his sword with the other. This time, Xemnas's blow almost hit him.

"I know what you're thinking Xemnas, but Zack loved you with everything he had." Haydn said as he deflected yet another attack. Xemnas gave an astringent, bark-life laugh that almost rivaled that of Zack and Haydn's.

"Like that makes any difference. I never really knew what he had exactly, now did I? He lied to me about _everything_!" Xemnas shouted with the deliver of an attack that nicked Haydn's shoulder.

"You're not making any sense! He was lying to protect you!" Haydn was now yelling too. His patience was beginning to wear thin.

"He should have told me! Maybe if I had I could of-"

"Could have done _what_, Xemnas?" Haydn said only inches away from Xemnas's face, their weapons connected and struggling for dominance. "Do you honestly think you could have done anything to save him with the information you have now?! Zack and I were dead men walking long before you showed up. Don't think yourself so high and mighty that you could have done anything to stop them. They were too powerful. That's why we need to stop fighting. We can defeat them if we work together. If you really want to take your anger out on somebody, take it out on them because-"

"Don't you _dare _bring those disgusting creatures into this! We're talking about you and Zack, remember?!"

Haydn gave a loud, humorless laugh. "Surely Zack's journals filled in enough blanks for you to figure out that we _are _those disgusting creatures. How could I _not _bring them into this?! They have everything to do with the well constructed lies that Zack and I fed you all those years ago. They killed your lover, my best friend…"

"Shut up! You don't even know what you're talking about, you monster!"

"_I'm _a monster? Should I remind you of all the things my clan has done? You can't possibly think that I would ever stoop as low as them?"

"But wouldn't you? You _are _from the same bloodline. I've never seen creatures so capable of destruction."

"Ah, but Xemnas, that's where you're wrong. You're very familiar with a beast that was just as detrimental at one point in time. You committed nearly the exact same crimes that my clan did as a Nobody, didn't you?"

"I…I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, but you do, don't you?" Haydn asked callously. "Maybe that's why you don't want to talk about them."

"Haydn…what are you talking about?!" Xemnas said almost fearfully, his amber orbs widening at the other man's words. Haydn leaned over, his lips right next to Xemnas's ear, their weapons still struggling for power between them as he whispered:

"You're just as foul as them and you know it. That's why you wish not to discuss them. You can't stand the fact that you are just as much of a monster as the man who took your beloved Zack away."

Xemnas's breath hitched as the truth all but slapped him in the face. His defense weakened, allowing Haydn's sword to defeat his Ethereal Blade. Haydn slammed him into the tree-that-was-once-a-portal again, and Xemnas remembered for an instant that he had been in a similar situation with Sephiroth. Although he was certain that even with all the intimidation the other silver haired man could muster, he still wouldn't be able to terrify him as much as Haydn was in this moment. Xemnas's breathing became shallow as Haydn's sword dug into his neck, causing a small trail of blood to trickle down his chest.

"I swear to god, if he hadn't loved you so much I'd…" Haydn trailed off quietly, the harsh, angry lines etched into his face disappearing as he became calm and thoughtful, yet somehow still cold and indifferent. After a moment or two he dropped his sword to his side before incasing it in it's sheath.

"Go. Do whatever you need to compose yourself before we leave. We need to start moving soon."

Xemnas nodded in what could only be called agreement before he started to walk off in a random direction. He didn't really know where he was going, but that didn't seem to matter. He just wanted to get away from everything, if only for a while.

After thirty minutes, Xemnas found himself at a clearing with a stream, giving the feeling of being far away from the rubble left behind. Xemnas sat next to the small stream, dipping his hands in the cool, clear water only to find that it stung. Xemnas winced and looked down at his tan skin that was residing in the water. He had almost forgotten about his dirt-caked scars and the possibility of infection that came with them. Xemnas began to scrub his hands furiously, trying to rub the dirt out of his wounds and Haydn's words, which still resided strongly in his mind.

'_You know it's true.' _Xemnas's subconscious whispered._ 'You're nothing but a monster. You're just like them.'_

'_Stop it!' _Xemnas begged his inner demons, trying to wash away his sins. Yet, like the dirt caked in his wounds, they wouldn't go away no matter how hard he scrubbed. His hands were starting to become painfully raw.

"Xemnas." A familiar baritone pulled him out of his thoughts. Sephiroth. Xemnas was confused at first. How had the other man found him? He only had to look at Sephiroth to know the answer. Xemnas had forgotten about the powerful black wings Sephiroth possessed and so carefully disguised. They were as beautiful as the first time Xemnas had seen them. There was just one difference…

'_How did that scar get there?'_ Xemnas asked himself, taking in the long, jagged scar that marred one of Sephiroth's wings. Xemnas scanned his brain for anything that could have caused the injury.

It hit him quite suddenly.

The scar was from the fight with the giant dog that had occurred before they left Radiant Garden. Xemnas couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He had inadvertently been the cause of that wound. The giant dog had been after him. Xemnas pushed those thoughts away and focused on the man in front of him.

"What do you want?" Xemnas snapped in what he hoped to be a cold tone. If it was, Sephiroth didn't seem to notice, or care.

"The others are looking for you."

"Are they now?"

"We need to leave soon." Sephiroth stated as he kneeled next to Xemnas.

'_What if I don't want to go with?' _Xemnas thought. He had just taken quite a bit of information in and he wasn't sure if he could handle questioning right now, or even worse, the worried gazes of those traveling with him. They would know that something was wrong. Xemnas knew Haydn well enough to know that when he was angry he became aloof and indifferent, two characteristics that were uncommon for the usually friendly male. As for himself, he was sure he would just appear grumpier than he usually did. That would be enough to raise suspicion amongst even the most dim-witted of the group. Xemnas wasn't sure he could handle their incessant questioning as well as everything else.

"What did you do to your hands?" Sephiroth asked, taking Xemnas out of his own little world. When he didn't answer, Sephiroth sighed impatiently and began to dig for something in a bag that the other male hadn't even realized he had. What emerged was a first aid kit. Xemnas was surprised that Sephiroth had one. He didn't seem like the type of man to carry something like that around.

Xemnas was even more surprised at what Sephiroth did next. The green eyed man took Xemnas's hands in his own and began cleaning his wounds with cotton swabs and peroxide.

"I was digging through the dirt and rubble…there was a lot of glass…" Xemnas said quietly. Sephiroth stopped with his ministrations to look at Xemnas. Slight confusion passed through his green eyes before he shook his head in understanding, or maybe disapproval, before continuing his work.

"Fool." Sephiroth mumbled half heartedly before beginning to wrap Xemnas's hands with gauze.

"I did it to find Zack's things." Xemnas mumbled softly. Sephiroth stopped his work once again and looked Xemnas in the eyes for the first time since this strange encounter started. Xemnas thought he saw sympathy in those sea foam green eyes, but it was gone before he had a chance to analyze it. Sephiroth looked down and continued his work, the air growing thick and uncomfortable around the two. Xemnas was somehow disturbed by the awkward silence and quickly changed the subject.

"How did you learn to do this?" Xemnas asked as he gestured to his hands with a movement of his head.

"I've been around Aerith long enough to know a few simple healing techniques." Sephiroth said as he finished wrapping the gauze. The amber eyed man could tell Sephiroth wanted to say something else, but wasn't sure if he wanted to know what that something was. Sephiroth never hesitated.

"I picked up his remains." Sephiroth said in a hushed tone. Xemnas could only stare at the other man. Sephiroth had done _what_?

'_Zack's remains.' _

"Oh." Xemnas replied. He couldn't help but snort inwardly at his inability to come up with a better response. Xemnas looked down and noticed that Sephiroth was still holding his gauze covered hands. The other man followed his gaze and pulled his hands away quickly, a little _too _quickly.

"I also took this." Sephiroth said as he pulled a small, shiny object out of his pocket. It was a ring. Zack's engagement ring to be precise. Two amber gems glittered in the sunlight. Xemnas remembered Zack's exact response when he questioned him about the ring.

'_I made sure to get a ring with gems the exact color of your eyes. That way, even when I'm not with you, I can look at the ring and remember your beautiful eyes. It comforts me.'_

Xemnas stared at the ring's gems and swore that they were several shades brighter than his eyes were now. He couldn't help but wonder if his eyes had actually been that light once.

"I thought you would want it." Sephiroth said as he held the ring out for Xemnas to take. Xemnas only nodded as he took the ring before placing it on the chain around his neck where his own ring resided.

"We should leave. The others are waiting." Sephiroth stood up and extended his hand to Xemnas, grunting in irritation when the other ignored his offer and stood up on his own. Sephiroth picked Xemnas up wordlessly, flying off before he could so much as complain or struggle.

* * *

It wasn't long before Sephiroth and Xemnas were back with the others. It seemed that Haydn had found his way back too, albeit his strong nose probably made it very easy to find such a large group. It occurred to Xemnas that that was most likely how Haydn came across him earlier and was probably the one to point Sephiroth in the right direction. Xemnas also noticed that everyone else was positioned with quite a bit of distance between themselves and Haydn. It seemed that they had noticed his ill-temper and were smart enough to steer clear of him. Xemnas hoped that he looked as though he were in just as rotten of a mood so that they would stay away from him too. Upon seeing Xemnas, Haydn stood up and quickly stuffed something in his bag. Xemnas realized, with a bit of remorse, that Haydn was packing up Zack's belongings that he had found buried beneath the ground. Xemnas felt a surge of anger, feeling that the box and all its contents belonged to him. He shook the thoughts away, not wanting to starting another fight with Zack's childhood friend.

"We should go." Haydn said gruffly. "We still have a good distance to cover."

No one had the nerve to ask him how much longer they had, never mind where they were going.

* * *

After an hour of walking, a certain ninja of the group began to complain.

"Are we there yet?" Yuffie whined, her shoulders slumped and a rather convincing pout plastered on her face. She looked like an overgrown child, which, to Xemnas's disdain, realized that she was. He was once again reminded that Yuffie shouldn't be with them. This wasn't child's play.

"Stop complaining Yuffie. Now isn't exactly the best time for it." Tifa muttered as she nudged the other girl in the side.

"But Tifa-"

"We should be there shortly." Haydn interjected. The two women fell silent.

A certain fiery red head, however, was quite bored, and incidentally, very horny. It wasn't a surprised really. This often happened when Axel got too bored. It was somewhat shocking, however, that Roxas was surprised when Axel decided to grab his ass. So surprised, in fact, that the blonde jumped about a foot in the air and squeaked as if he were some kind of chew toy.

"Axel, stop it!" Roxas grumbled. Axel feigned innocence.

"What are you talking about Roxas? I didn't do anything?" Axel said as he batted his eyelashes at his blonde boyfriend. Somehow, the gesture only left Roxas slightly disturbed.

"Right. Sure you didn't. Just stop it."

"But…_why_? It's so much fun." Axel said lowly as he slipped his hands into Roxas's back pocket and-

"You know, some of us would enjoy _**not **_watching you frisk your boyfriend in broad daylight!" Leon sneered as Axel removed his hands from Roxas with vague annoyance.

"Well Squall," Axel said maliciously "maybe if you just stopped being such a pervert and watching, no one would have to see us."

"That doesn't even make sense you twat."

"Fuck off, Leonhart!"

"Oh, such a great comeback…for a twat."

"You're such a fucking-"

"Guys! Shut up!" Haydn yelled, breaking up the argument in under a second. The others were relieved.

That relief was short lived.

"They're coming." Haydn muttered. Everyone was on guard at once. Xemnas was sure he saw Haydn's ears perk up a little and his pupils dilate, an instinct that was surely attributed to his clan.

"What? Are you sure? How do you know?" Cloud asked as he pulled out his buster sword.

"Just trust me, I know. They should be here soo-"

Haydn was cut off when a distinct growl met everyone's ears.

Haydn cursed under his breath. There were more of them this time. _Several _more. The dogs were around them instantly. They were angrier this time, making the entire group uneasy.

"Damn…if these guys keep multiplying…" Axel trailed off as the demonic dogs managed to surround him on all sides.

"I know, but this doesn't make any sense." Haydn said. "They don't usually send this many unless…oh fuck."

"What are you talking about Haydn?" Sora asked; everyone took notice of Haydn's now large, fearful eyes. They soon found out what caused the sudden change.

What they found out that day, what that when that many demonic mutts were around…

Their owners, their very _powerful _owners, were sure to be close by.

"Haydn, its been far too long." A deep male voice growled. Everyone looked to a high cliff not far from them. On top of it were five individuals. Xemnas realized with a sudden fear that the one who had spoken was the same man who killed Zack. He had come back as he had promised.

"Hidenori." Haydn snarled, an animalistic growl escaping his throat. So that was his name. _Hidenori_. This was the man who had haunted him for so long.

"Now Haydn dear, that's no way to talk to the leader of your clan." A sultry female voice said next. It was the woman standing next to Zack's murderer. She looked human enough. She had long black hair and dark eyes. These features were accented by skin so pale that it looked as though it had never seen the light of day. Her facial features were sharp and angular, giving her an air of being attractive in a frightening way.

"Oh look, it's my father's whore." Haydn stated in an almost casual tone. At least that's how it would have appeared if the comment hadn't been followed by a profound sneer.

"That's no way to talk to your mother!" The woman snapped. Haydn managed a strangled laugh.

"You've never been my mother." Haydn claimed. Ah, Xemnas understood now. This must be Haydn's step-mother that he had read about in Zack's journals. The one who killed Haydn's real mother. The one who bore Zack's first "lover", Naoki.

"Speaking of parents, where's my old man? I thought you would bring him with." Haydn remarked sarcastically. The woman he was addressing gave a rather disturbing smile.

"He's dead. He became far too weak in his age so I disposed of him and found someone else." Haydn's step-mother claimed as she latched on to Hidenori's arm. That supposed someone was him.

"Meaning you killed him and slept with the next best thing. How becoming of you Shigemi." Haydn snarled. Xemnas now knew the whorish woman's name. Shigemi. He took the opportunity to look at the others, who couldn't possibly follow along without the information he possessed. Xemnas noted that they seemed to watch with confusion and a little bit of awe.

"Hmm, you always were a little brat." Shigemi said mercilessly. "We don't always get our way sweetheart, but I do think there's someone here you'd like to see."

Shigemi moved aside to reveal someone who had been standing behind her the entire time. Xemnas hadn't noticed him. That meant there were six of them. The male that now stood before them was younger than the others, only eighteen at best. Xemnas had no clue who the young man could be, but Haydn's eyes were wide with shock and recognition.

"Brother." Haydn uttered, seemingly dumbfounded. Xemnas understood. It was Kane, Haydn's half brother. The one whom Haydn had been forced to leave behind ten years ago…

The one who was now on the wrong side of this battle.

"Shut up, traitor." Kane growled. Xemnas noticed that the two looked very much alike. Although Kane was taller, lighter skinned, and had whitish blonde hair that wasn't nearly as long as Haydn's darker locks, the two had similar faces. The shape of Kane's jaw, nose, eyebrows, and mouth were all very analogous to Haydn's. Yet, there was one very striking similarity that could let anyone with a decent pair of eyes know that they were brothers.

His eyes.

Kane had two almond shaped, dark green eyes. A feature that was odd, yet lovely, against his pale skin and light hair.

It was just as Zack had said.

Or written, for that matter.

Haydn seemed vaguely hurt by Kane's words, but recovered quickly, searching for any clues in his brother's face that may have shown that he didn't mean what he said.

Xemnas sure wasn't able to find any.

"Kane…what…but how…?" Haydn stumbled around his words, unable to make a simple sentence.

"You were always so good with words Haydn, always seemed so tasty…" Another male voice interjected. The man was short, maybe even more so than Haydn and Zexion, and appeared to be impish. Even in his human form, his teeth were overly sharp and his fingers twitched constantly. His head moved from side to side as though he were sizing everyone up. Thick, unruly, almost matted dull red hair fell into his blood shot eyes that took on a sickly yellowish glow. Despite all of this, he looked like he could be no older than Haydn. The male kept licking his lips every once in a while as his eyes hungrily scanned the people below him. Xemnas recognized this look immediately.

He was blood thirsty.

"Now now Ken, there will be plenty of time for that later." Hidenori chided. Now that Xemnas new the impish man's name, that only left two…

The remaining two who had yet to utter a single word were standing next to one another. One was clearly female, while the other…well…Xemnas wasn't quite sure what _it _was.

The one whom was clearly a woman stood scowling down at everyone. Her nose was upturned and pointy and her mouth was set in a grimace, as if she were disgusted by the mere sight of so many humans. Thin and long light blue hair fell across her shoulders and face like flimsy curtains. It looked like it hadn't been cut in years. Her eyes were the exact same color as her stringy hair. Her skin was papery, thin, and yellowish. It reminded Xemnas of aged wallpaper that had been poorly cared for. She was thin and bony looking, maybe in her early thirties. Yet, despite this, she looked as though she may have been pretty at one point in her life.

"Can we just get this over with Hidenori?!" This girl yelled at her master.

"Patience, child." Hidenori spat back.

"I am no child Hidenori. I haven't been for quite some time."

"You'd do well not to talk to your leader in that manner." Shigemi hissed.

"Piss off, old hag!" The girl retorted. Before Shigemi could so much as round on the other girl, Haydn broke up their argument with his laughter.

"Dear God, is that really _you _Ren? What happened? You were actually _pretty _the last time I saw you. Then again, I guess working for that bastard over there would turn your insides _and _outsides ugly." Haydn said with a snigger.

"Watch your tongue filth!" Ren shrieked. Before she could go on, an irritatingly high pitched voice cut through. It was the last member of the group, the one Xemnas couldn't properly identify the gender of. _It _looked to be about Ren's age.

"Really Renny, you are set off far too easily." The he-she stated as it twirled a finger around its long lavender colored hair. Xemnas still couldn't figure out the gender of this individual. It had no breasts, but everything else seemed completely feminine. This person's figure was slim, yet curvier than any man's should be, and the lavender hair swept across slim shoulders in a feminine cut. Slightly tanned skin was clothed by tight black pants that certainly should belong to a woman and wore a light pink button up shirt that could have belonged to a female as well. Hazel eyes peered at something Xemnas couldn't see with greed and, if Xemnas wasn't mistaken, lust. He followed that hungry gaze to find that it was directed at Saix. Xemnas felt a little bile rise in his throat when he realized what that probably meant. If Saix knew that he was being stared at in such a way, he didn't show it and seemed only vaguely confused when Marluxia wrapped his arms around the blunette protectively and glared at the offender.

"Like you have any room to judge you gender confused ingrate!" Ren shouted at the he-she.

"_**Gender confused?! **_I'll have you know that I'm completely male, Ren!"

"Holy shit, that's a _guy_?!" Axel asked.

"I know this is going to be hard to believe, but yeah, he is." Haydn muttered, casting a sideways glance at Axel.

"He makes Marly look like the epitome of masculinity."

"I'll overlook that comment _for now_, Axel." Marluxia stated curtly. An argument was still taking place between Ren and the shemale.

"Yeah right. Whatever you say Ikuya."

"I have the equipment to prove it if you don't believe me. Perhaps I should show it to you." The supposedly male Ikuya snapped. Ren only laughed.

"I don't think anyone would benefit from that Ikuya. Nobody wants to see your ugly-"

"I wouldn't judge anyone by their looks if I were _you _Ren!"

"You bastard! How dare you-"

"Ikuya, stop toying with the poor ugly girl." Hidenori said with a hint of cruel amusement.

"I'm sorry master. I should have realized that dear RenRen was only jealous." Ikuya snickered.

"As if I would ever be jealous of a-"

"Enough!" Hidenori barked. The two stopped fighting immediately.

"Having trouble controlling your minions, Hidenori?" Haydn asked with a wry smile.

"Not at all Haydn. They just tend to get a little antsy when I don't let them kill right away. But it's better this way. The longer I keep them waiting, the more vicious they get. I doubt it will take them long to kill all of you. Attack!" Hidenori shouted. His five minions were off the cliff before he could even snap his fingers.

And so it began…

* * *

Author's Note: Hehehe. Cliffhanger. As you can see, this ones a lot shorter than the others. I was going to include the battle in this chapter, but I liked the way it ended here. The next chapter should be up very soon, because I'm almost done writing it. Please leave reviews!!! I llllloooovvveeeesss my reviews!!! Pllleeeeaaaassse? I'll give you a cookie…=D


	20. Difficult BattlesDifficult Realizations

**Disclaimer: Don't own it. That should be obvious. **

**Warnings: Language (quite a large use of the word "bitch" in this chapter) and sexual themes. Also slight mentions of cannibalism. **

**Author's Note: Well guys, here's chapter 20. I hope you enjoy it. It was an interesting one to write. I'm so sorry that it wasn't up sooner!! I planned on posting this in early September and now it's late October. XP Oh well, all that matters is that I'm posting it now. **

**Oh, also, BE SURE TO GO READ MIZUKI ASSASIN OF THE MIST'S POEM "SEA OF DARKNESS" ON THIS SITE!! GIVE HER REVIEWS TOO!! SHE DESERVES THEM!!! **It's based on chapter 3 of this fic. It's was lovely to read, and I was quite flattered by it. =)

* * *

End of Chapter 19: Introductions

"_Having trouble controlling your minions, Hidenori?" Haydn asked with a wry smile._

"_Not at all Haydn. They just tend to get a little antsy when I don't let them kill right away. But it's better this way. The longer I keep them waiting, the more vicious they get. I doubt it will take them long to kill all of you. Attack!" Hidenori shouted. His five minions were off the cliff before he could even snap his fingers._

_And so it began…_

* * *

Chapter 20: Difficult Realizations

Within ten minutes of battles, it was obvious that they were against something more powerful than anyone could have ever imagined. Some were already starting to tire out. Hidenori's lackeys, up until this point, had been attacking at random. Yet now, they seemed to target opponents that caught their interest.

The first to do so was Ren, who seemed to think Demyx was one of the weakest links of the group. The blonde's water clones were fighting off demon dogs as he frantically plucked the strings of his sitar. When the dogs saw Ren, they cleared the way, realizing that one of their masters wanted the mullet haired bait to themselves. With a snap of Ren's fingers, Demyx's water clones melted into useless puddles of water.

"Hey, who did tha-"

Demyx's eyes went wide when he saw who he was picking a fight with. Ren chuckled darkly.

"How cute, you can manipulate water into clones of yourself." Ren said with a sadistic grin. "Perhaps we should see what _I_ can do with water."

With a simple wave of her hands, two large balls of water appeared on either side of Ren's light blue head. The pallid woman flicked her wrists in Demyx's direction, causing the balls of water to launch themselves at him. The Melodious Nocturne prepared to block them with his sitar, but faltered when he saw the water was molding into pointed sickles. As the sickles moved closer, they froze into ice, pointed and moving fast enough to possibly penetrate the skull of their victim. Demyx managed to duck just before the ice hit.

Despite Demyx's luck, the ice he had just narrowly dodged hit a cliff behind him, causing an avalanche of rocks to cascade towards him. Knowing he wouldn't be able to run away, Demyx curled himself into a ball and waited for the impact, but it never came. He opened his eyes to find Zexion next to him with his lexicon open in his hands. He had created a shield around them. Zexion muttered something under his breath and the rocks fell through the air in several directions, a rather large one nearly hitting Ren in the face.

"What did I say about not getting hurt?" Zexion asked warily, the thought of Demyx nearly bleeding to death after being hit by the giant dog demon's large spike still an open wound in his mind, despite the fact the blonde had made a perfect recovery.

"Uh…don't do it?" Demyx said as he scratched the back of his head. Zexion sighed.

"It wouldn't have happened if _she _hadn't tried to hit me with a pointy slab of ice!" Demyx accused Ren with a pointed finger. Zexion turned his attention to the malevolent girl and glared at her.

"Aww, how adorable. The boyfriend is trying to protect mullet head." Ren cooed tauntingly. Zexion's grey eyes narrowed.

"You lay one of your vile claws on even one hair of his head and I'll kill you." Zexion hissed. Ren only laughed.

"We'll see who kills who first runt!" Ren screeched as she swayed her talon-like claws in an upward position. The ground around them began to shake and crack, large shards of ice emerging from the earth's crevices. Zexion grabbed Demyx's shirt and pulled them up with a levitation charm from his lexicon. They landed on the cliff above them; Ren wasn't far behind. Their fight continued.

Not too far off, Yuffie was having quite a bit of trouble defending herself from Ken.

"Hmm…you don't have much meat on you, but I guess it'll have to do. You're an easier target than the rest of them." Ken said as he licked his cracked, dry lips.

"Stay away, freak!!" Yuffie shouted as she threw a kunai at the frightening man. Ken merely looked at the weapon and it burst into flames. Yuffie gave a terrified squeak as she began to back up into the stone wall behind her. Yuffie gulped as Ken's face came inches from her own, his arms placed on either side of her so she couldn't move. Ken laughed hoarsely.

"Say goodbye sweetheart." Ken cackled as Yuffie turned her head away and squeezed her eyes shut. Before anything happened, Ken shouted in shock, confusion, and pain. The young ninja opened her eyes to discover a deep gash across Ken's nose. A chakram was stuck in the rock next to him. Axel.

"Why don't you pick on someone else, asshole?" Axel said as he approached the two. Tifa was with him, looking quite pissy.

"Who the hell are you?" Ken asked as he clutched his nose.

"The names Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?" Axel said hotly.

"Yeah, sure. The names Ken. You wont need to memorize it because I'm going to eat your bony ass before you get the chance to." Ken said with a hit of excitement quavering in his voice.

"Well aren't you just pleasant." Axel said dryly. "Yuffie, go with Tifa. I think I'm going to have some fun with Ken on my own." Yuffie decided to obey for once. Axel waited until Yuffie and Tifa were a safe distance away before addressing Ken again and _really _taking in his appearance.

"Jesus Christ, what hole did _you _crawl out of?" Axel asked as he eyed Ken's unruly, matted hair and his yellowish eyes. He was certainly a sight to behold.

"Funny, human. Most don't have such a sense of humor before I devour them. You should have a little more respect and be afraid of me." Ken said in sick amusement as his hands began to twitch sporadically.

"Aren't you a little creeper? Well, in all fairness, I _might _be scared if I were a normal human. Problem is, I'm not." Axel remarked with a wicked grin, his sharp, fang-like teeth poking out. They were impressive, even in the face of the dog demon in front of him.

"Nice fangs you got there. Bet you could do some real damage with those. I almost forgot how much less fun demolishing human men was."

"What do you mean by 'less fun'?" Axel asked carefully, his piercing green eyes narrowing.

"They don't get as scared and put up more of a struggle. Much more work for me with less entertainment. The girls on the other hand…" Ken became quiet for a moment and gave a toothy grin before darting a pointed tongue out to touch his lips. "They beg for their lives or for it all to end; one or the other. Their flesh is so much softer. That's why I targeted your little friend. She's so thin though, not enough meat. That other girl on the other hand, her name was Tifa, wasn't it? She looked absolutely delicious. More meat on her, especially in the chest area." Ken laughed wildly, his eyes acquiring a hungry look.

"You sick little bastard!" Axel snarled. "You touch _anyone _in our groupand I'll-"

"Or _maybe _I should get my hands on that little boyfriend of yours. It's Roxas, correct? Peculiar name, but that hardly matters. He looks rather tasty."

Axel growled and his pupils became mere slits, giving his eyes a dangerous, cat-like appearance. He didn't bother to think about how Ken knew who Roxas was; he only thought about how to protect him. Axel swung his chakrams around perilously before setting them aflame.

"If you even so much as look at him wrong, I'll make sure to kill you in the most painful way possible." Axel whispered forebodingly as he threw his flaming chakrams in Ken's direction. The other pyro raised his hands, stopping Axel's weapons in mid-air. Seconds later, they flung themselves back at Axel. The red head narrowly dodged his own weapons.

"What the hell…?"Axel said, eyeing his chakrams as if they would move on their own and try to kill him once more. Deciding they were safe, Axel shrugged and put them in his hands.

"That's an interesting little trick you've got there." Axel claimed, trying to keep his voice from quaking. "I saw what you did to Yuffie's kunai. You can control fire too, can't you?"

"Sure can. I tend to use it well."

Just after Ken made this statement, one of Demyx's water clones fell from the cliff above and hit Ken with a watery splat, soaking him completely. Axel laughed haughtily.

"Well, I guess you wont be using that fire now. That's what kind of sucks about being a pyro: Get wet and you're completely useless."

"That may be true for you…but _myself _on the other hand…" Ken trailed off, his body jerking as it began to glow. His body was quickly drying, as if all the heat he used to control fire was being used to rid him of water instead. He was completely dry within seconds. If it hadn't been for the puddle of water at Ken's feet, Axel would have wondered if the other pyromaniac had ever really been soaked to begin with.

"Shit." Axel muttered, knowing he was about to be in for one hell of a fight.

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Farther away, Kane was fighting against Cloud and Leon, and winning quite easily. Shigemi stood next to her son as both the men went down from a blow from Kane's sword.

"Kane sweetheart, be a dear and go kill your filthy, human loving traitor of a brother for mommy, will you?" Shigemi said in a saccharine voice as she wrapped her arms around Kane's torso from behind, placing her angular chin on his shoulder and planting a kiss on the back of his neck. Kane grimaced.

"Yeah, sure." Kane muttered as he shrugged his mother off of him and headed in Haydn's direction. Shigemi chuckled.

"That's a good boy. I'll deal with these two." Shigemi said as she showed Cloud and Leon her creepy smile. If the two had any energy to spare, they might have shuddered.

* * *

Haydn was surrounded by several rabid dogs. As soon as he managed to kill one, five more seemingly took its place. Haydn grunted as his guitar cracked yet another mutt's skull. It crumbled to the ground pathetically.

"Hey traitor!" Kane shouted, running towards Haydn at full speed with his sword drawn. Just before the weapon hit its target, Haydn smiled politely and blocked the attack with his acoustic. As Kane tried to attack him again, Haydn pulled out his own sword and easily blocked Kane's attempts. Haydn smirked at the angry blonde.

"It's been a long time, little brother." Haydn said.

"I'm afraid I'm not so little anymore, traitor."

"You're right, you've grown a lot in the past ten years."

"Yeah, I have. I bet I was still taller than you ten years ago too." Kane smirked as he moved to attack Haydn from behind. Haydn twitched at the clear insult to his height. Kane had no right! Even if he was ten years younger and a full head taller…

"You little brat…" Haydn said quietly, blocking Kane's attack yet again.

"You forget that I taught you everything you know Kane." Haydn growled, trapping his little brother between him and a cliff. The arm that Kane usually used to handle his sword was now completely immobilized by Haydn's gaze.

"You may have taught me quite a bit traitor…but there was a lot I had to learn on my own as well…" Kane said as he angled the pointed end of his sword and sliced Haydn's shoulder. Haydn lost complete control over Kane's movements and cried out in pain. He fell to the ground in front of his younger brother, clutching his bleeding wound.

"It seems that you haven't tried to control anyone in a while." Kane said. "That was a very weak attempt, traitor."

'_You little bastard…what did they do to you?' _Haydn thought. He had underestimated Kane's ability. He was in for something more difficult than he realized.

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It seemed that Saix was having just as much difficulty as Haydn was, except that he was against several demon mutts instead of their somewhat human looking allies. The blunette soon found out that this wouldn't last very long, for Ikuya's apparent interest in Saix got the best of him.

"Hey baby, what are you doing over here all by yourself?" Ikuya said in his high pitched voice as he overstepped Saix's personal bubble.

"I wasn't alone…" Saix said uncomfortably.

"Well, it looks like we are now." Ikuya purred as he drew lazy circles on Saix's chest with a manicured nail. Sure enough, when Saix looked around, the demon dogs had disappeared. Obviously the doing of the scary shemale. Saix had a bad feeling about this.

"…I think I should be going now." Saix said after a few moments of uncertain silence.

"Not so fast, Saix darling. You can't leave just yet. You have something I want, and I intend to have my hands on it before the day is over." Ikuya said in a voice that was surprisingly low for him as he pushed himself against Saix fully. The blunette could feel the other man's erection poking his leg. The sick feeling that had entered Saix's stomach the moment he laid eyes on Ikuya gave through to a feeling of utmost dread.

"I need to leave." Saix said evenly.

Saix would have left quite happily, if he had not found out that he couldn't move at all. His eyes widened when he noticed Ikuya's hazel eyes had become a color very similar to his own and his ears had become pointed.

"Oh no, Saix, you're not going anywhere." Ikuya growled. "I've been watching you for a very long time now. I've waited far too long for this. I wont let you slip away again!"

If Saix was a man with less pride, he would have begun to tremble. What did this man mean when he said that he had been watching Saix for a long time? Surely he was lying. He had never sensed anyone around him…nor had he smelled anything out of place. (Ikuya's pungent perfume would have easily given him away.) What did he mean when he said he wouldn't let him slip away _again_? He'd never met Ikuya. At least he hadn't as a Nobody. In his previous life as a human, however…

Could it be possible that…

'_No. No way in hell. I couldn't possibly have known…'_

"My my Saix. You're afraid. Don't worry, love. There's no reason to be." Ikuya said softly, stroking Saix's cheek with a claw-like hand. Saix shuddered beside himself. As Ikuya continued caressing his cheek, something strange happened. Saix began seeing flashes of something he couldn't really interpret under his present condition. It was as if he were seeing someone else's life through his own eyes, the same uneasiness he felt around Ikuya still pulsing in his very core. It was like a million blurry photographs were running through his head at once, none of the images stopping long enough for him to decipher. It was scarier than anything he had ever experience. Before Saix could figure out a way to stop whatever was happening, he was drawn back to the present by a comforting voice and the subtle scent of flowers…

"Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing with _my _boyfriend?!" Saix's significant other screeched. Marluxia. Of course.

"_Your _boyfriend. I'd say he's mine now." Ikuya said with a devious grin.

"How dare you! Who do you think you are bitch?!" Marluxia shrieked, a shower or sharp pink flower petals making their way towards Ikuya in his rage. The shemale sent the petals into a nearby cliff with a simple flick of his wrists.

"You can control plant life too?" Ikuya said lowly, a trace of some new mischief lying behind his hazel eyes. The ground began to shake around Ikuya's feet. Two spiked vines appeared from the ground and constricted around Marluxia's body. Ikuya walked over to the pink-haired male in a dangerously slow fashion as he clucked his tongue.

"Really now Saix. I always thought you would have better taste in men than _this _filth. I guess I was wrong. Looks like I'll have to show you _real _beauty once I get rid of this pest." Ikuya said as he scrutinized Marluxia, his hazel eyes pin-pointing every single flaw he could find. Marluxia snorted at the other male's pig headed comment.

"Like you're beautiful. You look pretty fake and nasty to me." Marluxia said with a very obvious sneer.

"_And _he has a fowl mouth?! Oh Saix dear! It's fortunate that I've come around. You would have to be with this filth if I weren't here to save you! I mean, just look at him! Those clothes that absolutely do NOT go with that pitiful figure. Not to mention his looks. I could find prettier men in the most disgusting of human towns. I bet it's safe to say that his nether regions aren't nearly as big as his mouth. And don't even get me started on that hair!"

"What's wrong with my hair?!" Marluxia snapped. No one _ever _talked bad about Marly's hair. Period. End of discussion. It was simply unheard of. If you committed such an offence you were either stupid or didn't know any better. Saix was guessing that Ikuya was a little bit of both. He may have laughed at the fact that Marluxia was more insulted by the blow to his hair than his penis, had the situation been different.

"For starters," Ikuya began "What's with the color? It's hideous. Maybe if it were a few shades darker or lighter…and then there's those split ends! Go get a haircut before you kill someone! And tell your hair stylist to make it attractive this time…if that's even possible."

By this point, Marluxia had turned a violent shade of crimson and was shaking fiercely. If it wasn't for the constricting vines holding him down, he would have already used his scythe to chop off Ikuya's head.

"How dare you. Once I get out of these restraints I'll-

"You'll what? Throw more flower petals at me? Face it, you're not strong enough to harm me."

Before Ikuya could say any more, Saix stepped between the two of them and cut the vines constraining his lover's movements.

"You will not speak to him in that manner." Saix practically growled, his golden eyes glittering with a suppressed rage.

Ikuya merely chuckled. "I see you still have your claws. Many of your instincts have remained in tact. There may be hope for you yet, Isa." Ikuya whispered. Saix's face held a look of complex confusion.

"What…what are you-

"Move, Saix! I need to give this bitch a piece of my mind!" Marluxia yelled as he shoved Saix out of the way. He clearly hadn't heard the exchange between the two of them.

"Who the hell are you calling a bitch?!"

"You, obviously." Marluxia stated before the two tackled each other to the ground. Saix could only cower in the corner in fear as he witnessed one of the biggest cat fights in history.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Pulling my hair like a little girl!"

"I was trying to get rid of some of your revolting split ends, but there are so many of them that I can't do it alone."

"Fuck you!"

Oh yeah, it was going to be a while before Saix even began to _think _of moving. Between the name calling, biting, scratching, and hair pulling, he might never move again.

* * *

Cloud and Leon lay bloodied and beaten, bound by invisible ropes. If one were to look in on this scene, they would not be able to find the source of this horrid beating. This was due to the fact that the woman responsible, Shigemi, had disappeared for the hundredth time. Cloud and Leon had found out one of Shigemi's abilities the hard way. Shigemi was able to slip into her surroundings without the use of magic. She could dissolve into the ground and pop out of a rock seconds later without being detected. This method caught Leon and Cloud off guard, rendering themselves helpless against the female dog demon. The surface of a rock above Cloud's head began to bubble, Shigemi's form appearing. She hovered in the air over her two victims, a cruel smile planted on her face. Little did the two men know that they were about to witness one of Shigemi's _other _special abilities.

"This is starting to bore me." Shigemi said with a mock pout. "Why don't we try something a little different, hmm?"

Shigemi drew closer to Cloud, so close that they were almost touching. A horrified Leon could only struggle against Shigemi's invisible binds in vain as he watched the scene unfold before him.

"You seem to be more afraid of me that your little friend over there. I think I'll take a little peek into you first."

Before Cloud could even wonder what Shigemi was talking about, one of the woman's cold, thin finger tips touched his forehead, sending him into agonizing pain. Cloud's memories started to flow through him. They started the day he met Zack Fair as a young, naïve teenager and led up to the point where Cloud sat next to him mournfully, watching the beautiful creature he depended so much upon die before his wide blue eyes. This tragic process only took a few seconds, yet it might as well have taken a few years. It was years worth of pain and sadness flowing through him at once. Leon could only watch the agony and desperation that he could not comprehend.

"Stop it! Leave him alone!" Leon screamed at Shigemi. The foul woman's eyebrows narrowed as the brunette's screams became louder and louder.

"Shut up, filthy human!" Shigemi shrieked as she slapped Leon across the face. Leon winced at the burning sensation, a large searing red mark now painted across the expanse of skin on his face.

"I'm finished anyway." Shigemi said with a malice grin, backing away from Cloud but keeping her eyes focused on him the whole time.

"Well well, how sweet. You and Xemnas both had a lover named Zack." Cloud's eyes became wide and fearful. Shigemi had seen those memories too?! That couldn't be good. A silent, yet terrified Leon looked on, unable to do anything to stop the mad woman.

"And I'm guessing this thing right here was your replacement?" Shigemi said as she nudged Leon's head with her foot.

"I hat to admit they're both quite pretty, but their personalities are very displeasing."

"Perhaps I should put on a little show for your boys." Shigemi said. Leon and Cloud stared in wonder as Shigemi's body began to morph. She was becoming taller and less curvy. Her hair, face, and eyes changed shape and form until she was the mirror image of Xemnas's lover Zack. Neither Leon or Cloud could grasp how she had done it.

"Such a pretty thing, this boy was." Shigemi said in Zack's voice, his mis-matched eyes that had been so friendly in life now staring back at Cloud and Leon in an uncharacteristically cold way. "Too bad he was a traitor; he was powerful. He could have brought great things to our clan, but he ran off and fell in love with a Nobody, the lowest form of non-existent life on this planet!"

Cloud and Leon were confused at first, but seemed to put two and two together. They would be asking a lot of questions later, if they ever lived through this, that is.

"Hmm…now lets see if I can get _your _Zack right, blondie." Shigemi said as she closed Zack's eyes in concentration. To Cloud's dismay, she became the mirror image of Zack Fair. When Shigemi opened her (his) eyes, they were a pretty shade of violet. Zack Fair's violet. Cloud couldn't stand seeing those eyes looking at him with such hate.

"From that pathetic look on your face I'd guess that I've done a pretty good job." Shigemi said with Zack's slightly twangy voice. Cloud was on the verge of tears.

"What's wrong Cloud? Aren't you happy to see me?" The Zack Fair look-a-like said tauntingly. "It's been such a long time. I though you would want to see me after all these years." Shigemi stepped closer to Cloud, proud of herself when the blonde visibly tensed.

"What's wrong Spike? Still upset about my death?" Shigemi said as she ran one of Zack's hands through Cloud's hair. Cloud squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to block the woman out, disgusted when he found himself pretending that those hands really were Zack's.

"Or maybe you're upset because you know that it's your fault I'm gone!" Shigemi screamed. Cloud's eyes popped open and saw Zack's amethyst eyes glaring at him accusingly.

"You killed me Cloud Strife! I'm dead because you never did anything to stop them! I hate you, you useless bastard!"

"No…stop…please. I didn't do it. You were never supposed to die…" Cloud whimpered as tears started to stream down his face.

"You're right! I never should have died, but you let them kill me! I don't know how I could have ever loved someone as pitiable!"

"Stop it! Just stop! Please!" Cloud shouted at the top of his lungs before falling into a series of sobs and whimpers.

Leon was shaken. He had no idea what to do. Shigemi still had the two of them bound, and he knew yelling at the woman wouldn't help. If anything, it would only convince her to torture Cloud more.

Before Leon could open his mouth to say anything, _anything _at all to calm Cloud down or make Shigemi stop, Haydn's distinct voice reached his ears.

"That's enough, you god damn bitch!" Haydn yelled as he scratched Shigemi across the face. Deep claw marks ran across Zack Fair's face. Shigemi sniggered lowly.

"It's a shame that you chose to bring those claws of yours out just to ruin a pretty face. I wonder what would happen if I showed you a more familiar one." Shigemi said as she instantly morphed into Haydn's best friend.

"Come on Haydn, you would never really hurt me, would you?" Shigemi said in Zack's playful voice.

"Don't you _ever _use his body!" Haydn yelled as he quickly pulled out his gun and shot Shigemi in the shoulder. Shigemi slumped over a little and clutched her now bleeding shoulder, swaying back and forth.

"Ow Haydn, that hurt." Shigemi whined in Zack's voice.

"You bitch." Haydn whispered angrily as he aimed to take his next shot. Before he got the chance, a blonde blur had him pinned against a large boulder, rendering the hand holding his gun useless. The blonde blur turned out to be no other than Kane, who was now sporting a large gash in his side. Haydn smirked.

"I guess that big scar in your side didn't slow you down as much as I thought it would, eh, baby brother?"

"I guess not. It was a good try though, traitor. If you hadn't hesitated you might have actually killed me."

"You know very well that I could never do that, Kane." Haydn replied softly. Kane's grip seemed to loosen and his eyes didn't seem quite as accusing. The momentary peace, if you could classify it as that, was broken by Shigemi.

"Good job, sweetheart. Mommy could have been hurt if you hadn't come along. Now do me a favor and make sure he dies this time!" Shigemi said in a saccharine voice as she tried to kiss Kane on the cheek. The teen only shrugged her off as his mother decided to instead stalk off to play with her "food" (Leon and Cloud) once more.

"Momma's boy." Haydn muttered with a snort. Kane's eyebrows furrowed.

"I…I am not!" Kane proclaimed childishly.

"Yeah, okay then. If you say so."

Before Kane could argue, Hidenori's deep voice boomed for all to hear.

"Stop what you're doing and bind your opponents in whatever way you feel necessary! I think it's time I have some fun with our dear friend Xemnas."

"Finally." Shigemi whispered exuberantly.

Everyone was bound by either one of Hidenori's minions or by his mutts. It would be extremely stupid to think of moving. Xemnas was pinned to the ground below Hidenori by invisible ropes. The man snickered at him, making his large white fangs poke out even more.

"I finally have you where I want you." Hidenori said as his blood red eyes became slits. "I'll finally be able to kill you like I did that traitor."

At these words, Sephiroth, who was cornered by five dogs, moved out of what felt like habit. Hidenori didn't miss the small, yet sudden, movement.

"Make sure he doesn't go anywhere." Hidenori growled. The dog demons were upon Sephiroth in seconds, sinking their teeth into various part of his body.

"If he moves even in the slightest, bite him harder."

"Why did you do it?"

Hidenori's head whipped around to stare at Xemnas. If he wasn't mistaken, the monster looked confused.

"Why did you kill him?" Xemnas screamed, now finding himself beyond furious. To his chagrin, Hidenori began to laugh.

"You stupid boy, you still don't know who I am, do you?" Hidenori asked. It was now Xemnas's turn to be confused.

"Hmm, you really don't know…" Hidenori stated in dark amusement.

"Well, perhaps it would be better if I showed you."

Xemnas watched as Hidenori began to do something odd. He wasn't morphing as Shigemi had done, but he was _changing_. His appearance was becoming less harsh, more human. His claws and fangs were shrinking, replaced by human hands and teeth. His hair was becoming smoother and the red in his eyes fading. When Hidenori was done with his transformation, two mismatched eyes stared into his own amber ones.

One blue eye, one green eye.

A very familiar pair of mismatched eyes.

Xemnas could only gaze in horror.

He looked exactly like Zack.

* * *

Author's Note: DONDONDON!!! Cliffhanger!!! This chapter was originally supposed to be longer, but I felt like this was a good cut off point. Once again, sorry this took so long!! This chapter is way over due. Please leave reviews! I would really like your opinion on this chapter!

Also, if you didn't read in my disclaimer:

**BE SURE TO GO READ MIZUKI ASSASIN OF THE MIST'S POEM "SEA OF DARKNESS" ON THIS SITE!! GIVE HER REVIEWS TOO!! SHE DESERVES THEM!!! **It's based on chapter 3 of this fic. It's was lovely to read, and I was quite flattered by it. =)


	21. Troubles Are Ahead

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Warnings: Language and violence in this chapter.

Author's Note: OMG GUYS I'M SO SORRY! Life has been really hard on me the last well…several months and I haven't been able to bring myself to write. I just started writing again and it feels so AMAZING! I just want everyone to know that I have NOT given up on or forgotten about this fic. I still love it and cant wait to start working on it again. It's refreshing, after a long break. =)

**Oh, also, BE SURE TO GO READ MIZUKI ASSASIN OF THE MIST'S POEM "SEA OF DARKNESS" ON THIS SITE! GIVE HER REVIEWS TOO! SHE DESERVES THEM! **It's based on chapter 3 of this fic. I told you guys to do that the last time I updated, but seeing as that was a looong time ago, I figured I should remind all of you again. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give her feedback!

Also, **I KNOW THIS CHAPTER IS SHORT!I'M SORRY! I could've continued writing, but I wanted to leave you guys with something before I started writing a really long chapter so you wouldn't have to wait any longer for something. **

* * *

End of Chapter 20: Difficult Battles, Difficult realizations:

_Xemnas watched as Hidenori began to do something odd. He wasn't morphing as Shigemi had done, but he was __**changing**__. His appearance was becoming less harsh, more human. His claws and fangs were shrinking, replaced by human hands and teeth. His hair was becoming smoother and the red in his eyes fading. When Hidenori was done with his transformation, two mismatched eyes stared into his own amber ones._

_One blue eye, one green eye._

_A very familiar pair of mismatched eyes._

_Xemnas could only gaze in horror._

_He looked exactly like Zack._

* * *

Chapter 21: Troubles Are Ahead

"No…but…how…" Xemnas stuttered and stared at an older looking version of his dead lover. What was going on?

"You still don't see it? You can't see the truth? How thick are you? Don't you understand anything?" Hidenori said rancorously.

Hidenori clamped a previously clawed hand to Xemnas's jaw, forcing the silverette to look him in the eyes.

"I'm his father."

Xemnas's eyes widened with understanding. Zack had been killed by his own father, his own blood. Hidenori had forsaken his only child in the worst way possible.

"He…he was your son…"

"He was also a traitor. He betrayed his clan to live among humans. That is unforgivable. Then he met _you_. He claimed he loved one of the lowest forms of existence; a Nobody. _That_ is the most evil of sins among our clan. I should have killed you the day I took Zack's life. Now I've been given another chance to complete what I was supposed to. I'll relish in your suffering, human."

Hidenori's claws formed again, lazily running a single nail over Xemnas's cheek, creating a shallow cut. Xemnas shuddered as the Zack look-a-like collected the blood from the small wound and licked it off his finger.

"You have sweet blood. Now what should I do to you first?"

Xemnas never found out what Hidenori was planning to do to him that day. Before he could carry on with his task, two distinct gunshots rang out over the canyon. Hidenori was slouched over, a bullet in his right shoulder. Xemnas and the others found Haydn standing on a higher boulder with his gun pointed in Hidenori's direction. Kane, who had previously been restraining his older brother, was lying on the ground no more than a foot away, blood oozing from a bullet in his side .

"What did you do Kane?" Hidenori barked. "How did he get you? Useless child!"

"If you were smarter, Hidenori, you would know that having your youngest and most inexperienced minion detain me was a foolish decision. You should've know better."

"Hmm…perhaps I underestimated you. I never thought you would go as far as to hurt your dear little brother."

"Don't, Hidenori. I only did it because it was the only way I could get to you."

"Yes, just like leaving Kane behind was the only way you and the love of your life could successfully betray the clan."

Clearly, Hidenori was trying very hard to get under Haydn's skin.

It was working.

"Shut the fuck up!" Haydn screamed as he fired his gun again. The bullet flew right between Hidenori's eyes. A wave of relief spread through Xemnas's veins fleetingly, thinking it was over. However, revulsion took over moments later.

He wasn't dead.

A bullet was in his head, yet he was still alive.

Hidenori laughed in a hysterical way. Everyone stared with their mouths open. It just wasn't _possible_ that this man was alive, that he could pull a bullet out of his own head without any signs of pain, that a bullet wound could _dissolve _as if it had never been there.

"No…it can't be.." Haydn whispered, his eyes large and terrified. Hidenori laughed again.

"Well, it seems our last encounter proved to be effective, Haydn. You don't remember a thing, do you?"

With the way Haydn stared at him, it was clear that he didn't know there was anything to remember.

"We'll be leaving now. I think we should let these stupid humans figure out what has happened themselves."

Hidenori's dogs and minions released their captives and departed through multiple dark portals. Haydn began shaking and fell to his knees. They were gone, but how long would that last? How could they defeat a man who couldn't die?

For now, it seemed the battle was over.

* * *

Author's Note: Cliffhanger? Maybe? Anyway, reviews please! I give digital cookies! I enjoyed this chapter a little too much, even though it's so short. :/


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